GREAT INDIAN GUIDE BABY Care

To Husband mahendra

From Wife Rashmi

 Credits

Issued in Public Interest by

www.Medimanage.com

Written and Compiled by

Swagata Yadavar

Copy Edited By

Priyanka Parab

Pooja Biraia

Geetai Nivangune

Book and Design Conception

Mahavir Chopra

Editor‐in‐Chief

K S Sankar

Contributing Doctors

Dr. Geetanjali Shah, M D (Pediatrician)

Dr. Sudhir Sane, M D DCH (Pediatrician, Neonatologist)

Dr. Sangeeta Pikale , (Gynecologist)

Copyright © 2010 Medimanage Health Services Pvt. Ltd.

All rights reserved under Indian Copyright Act.
 CONTENTS

1. Coping with Motherhood 6

2. How to prepare your Home for your newborn 9
3. How to select a Doctor for your Baby? 12
4. Caring for your Premature Baby 15
5. Feeding the Baby 18

6. Baby Hygiene 27
7. Friends, Family and the Baby 31
8. Thumb Sucking 35
9. Keep your Baby smiling in all weathers! 37
10. Diapering your Baby 41
11. Why is my Baby crying!? 47

12. Baby massage- A Gift for both Parents and Babies 50

13. Danger signs in Babies 54
14. Bonding tips for the New Father 56

15. Baby, Sleep like a Baby… 60

16. Teething Issues at Hand 64
17. Foods for your Baby 66

18. Travelling with your Baby 71

19. Solving the Vaccination Woes 75
20. Dealing with Common Illnesses of the Baby 79

21. Stimulating the Baby 85

22. Traditional vs. Modern approach to Baby care 88
23. Baby’s Development Milestones 93
24. Mommy’s Health 100
 Foreword

The best foreword for this book probably is verily what it brought rolling down
my cheeks as I read it – a drop of tear.

Like the parenthood is the most natural human instinct, the tear drop is the
most natural expression of any human instinct.

I was wondering what brought about this drop of tear – only to realize this tiny
tear drop contained in it an ocean of emotions.

Sublime love and compassion that is typical of parenthood; Care so supreme

that one would offer one’s own self at the altar for the wellbeing of the one
that is cared for.

Empathy tempered with insights – the mother instinctively understands what

pains and troubles the child – The book provides the insights to temper the
empathy with – so that the anxious mother does not go overboard.

Awe at the almost superhuman ability to multitask during the period of rearing
the newborn – I have come across many a mother wondering aloud, looking
back at those demanding days of rearing their infant – Honest to God I do not
know where I got the ability to manage those days. This book offers valuable
wisdom to make those arduous days a little less arduous.

Gratitude – Some worthy has said ‘every child born is a proof that God has still
not lost faith in humanity’. The emotion of gratitude that I find in my tear drop
is that sense of gratitude to all the mothers and motherhood at large that
indeed holds humanity together and makes togetherness human.

As I was getting tossed around these and several other similar waves of
emotion, the tear drop suddenly chose to demonstrate another innate
character it possesses – of being a natural prism. And made my reflections
move from me the receiver to the givers of this book – Medimanage.com.

4
 Foreword
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

This reflection led to the realization that it is these very values that drive
Medimanage. I see it manifest in the very effort of bringing out this book. I see
unwritten but clearly visible in between every two lines of this book – We care,
that we help you care for the one you care for the most in this entire universe –
your newborn. Empathy in all that Medimanage does ‐ in understanding the
pain areas ‐ tempered with invaluable insights they provide. And the integrated
process driven approach that make arduous situations that much less arduous
for all those concerned.

My heartfelt congratulations to the entire content team of Medimanage.com,

lead ably from the front by Mahavir Chopra, and to the entire Medimanage
leadership on crossing this new milestone. I have been observing with pride the
steady enhancement of the quality and relevance in the contributions of the
entire content team of Medimanage.com. Swagata Yadavar, verily the
compiler/composer/author of this compendium deserves special mention here
for her demonstrated dedication and devotion, and for her steadfast adherence
to timelines. She is one person who is always willing to walk the extra mile in
pursuit of perfection, and what you have in the following pages is the outcome
of such pursuit.

So, the blessed lot of parents‐to‐be and brand‐new‐parents, parents and

brothers and sisters and other relatives and friends of such blessed lot – each of
you have some take away in this compendium. I am sure you will find the
authentic content of this compendium to be of immense use to you. I am
equally sure Medimanage.com will continue to come up with more such
authentic India relevant compendiums.

‐K S Sankar

Editor‐in‐Chief

5
 Coping with motherhood

is the sleep for others and so on. There is no

Along with the euphoria after the announcement
that you are expecting, you find that your heart
flutters whenever you think about the baby.
Don’t worry! It’s just your apprehension about
becoming a mother. This being your first time you
are not really sure of how well you can deal with
the pregnancy, about how you will be reacting to
the labor pains and the biggest question of all, will
you be a good mother or not!
manufacturer’s manual that comes with the baby,
you just have to take things the way they come
and do whatever seems right to you, with due
consultation of the doctor. Don’t let the
disproving remarks of others dampen your
confidence; as in the end you are the mother and
no one knows your baby the way you do! Do what
comes to you naturally and what works well for
your baby.

As you face these fears, you are given nothing but Sense of humor
guidelines and more guidelines! Everybody talks
If there were an eligibility requirement for being a
about what you should eat, what you should avoid
mother, having a sense of humor would be placed
along with what to do and what not to when
at the top. The reason being, having a baby and
pregnant! There are solutions for everything from
caring for the baby is no mean task! It is a road full
backaches to swollen legs that come with
of ups and downs and having a sense of humor
pregnancy but none for soothing the nerves of a
soon‐ to ‐be mother. We understand what you are
going through, and here is our sincere effort at
trying to make you feel better.

There is no right way or wrong way

You mother can tell you of a thousand ways to do

things in the right way, when it comes to the baby
as they worked for her! But don’t think that those
are the only ways to do it! Each baby is different,
as every mother is. For some mothers the crying
part of caring for babies is the difficult one, while it

6
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
will be of a great help if you are to make it through
the first year without any breakdowns!
Imagine this scenario, it is 3 am at night and the
third time your baby cries for a feed or you are
ready to go out and have finished dressing him in a
very cute outfit, when he decides to spit up milk
on it. Just like these incidents, there will be several
more moments that will leave you as a mother
completely exhausted, frustrated and on the verge
of tears! This is where you will require a sense of
humor to laugh about such incidences with the
baby, as there is nothing you can do about them!
Ask for help
‘When in doubt ask for help’. This saying can be
modified for mothers, into, ‘whenever
overwhelmed‐ ask for help!’ Women in general
have their hands full with household as well as the
workplace chores, plus they are better at multi‐
tasking than men, but still there is a limit as to how
much they can handle.
Whenever you find it difficult to take any more
strain, call for help. The reason you need to do
that is an overstressed and unhappy mom is not in
the best shape to care for the baby. You can ask
either your spouse, mom, in laws or your friends to
come and assist you in some of chores. When
they are at home, relax, catch on some sleep
and do something for yourself. This time alone
will rejuvenate you and energize you enough to
handle motherhood once again!
Be Open and Patient
There will be times when you are unsure of what
you are doing. There will also be countless other
times when you think, whatever you are doing is
wrong! But don’t you worry, like most others
you will learn on the job. Experience is what
teaches you the best, along with the maternal
instinct that everyone talks about. After all,
even the best of us fail sometimes; we just learn
from the mistakes and do it again properly the
next time round!
Let go….
When your baby is young, most of the time will
be spent in caring for the baby. By the end of
the day you will be exhausted with no energy
left to do anything else but to fall on your bed
and slip into an exhausted sleep! So, you may
find that the dishes will lie unwashed, the house
will be filled with diapers and toys etc. in short
the house won’t be exactly visitor friendly.
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

If the sight of your house is making you
sigh. Don’t! It is, but natural that taking care
of the baby will take over as your number
one priority leading you to overlook your
household duties. Accept that the house
will be messy for few months! Let go and
don’t fret over it as after a few months you will
be able to manage both your baby and the
household duties wonderfully!
Motherhood is a journey to be enjoyed with a
heart open, a mind full of enthusiasm and a
smiling face….Bon Voyage!

8
 How to prepare your home for
your newborn

• With a source for the sunlight to seep in

The news of pregnancy brings joy, fear, excitem‐
• Clean with no paint peeling off and no leakages
ent and nervousness for the ‘would be parents’.
While some of us are nervous because we know • Generally warm

that our life won’t be same after the arrival of the
baby, others are excited by the very thought of the
imminent arrival of tiny feet. Whatever the feeling
maybe, it is accompanied by the acceptance of a
responsibility that rests on our shoulders, the
responsibility of taking care of a little human
being!
Dr. Geetanjali Shah, Pediatrician, stresses the
importance of sunlight “Sunlight is important for
babies, we keep all babies in sunlight after
delivery to prevent occurrence of physiological
jaundice. Later when the chances of jaundice are
less, we still keep them in for the benefit of
vitamin D. From whichever rooms are available,

There is an awful lot to learn and know about you have to select the right one.”

pregnancy and we often find ourselves feeling
overwhelmed by the myriad information on
Parental Dos and Don’ts. With so much to think
and fret about, the practical issue of how to
prepare your home for the newborn is forgotten.
Here are our tips on how to prepare your home for
your newborn.
If the room where the baby is kept is not sunny,
you can keep him in a spot at home where he
receives sunlight to benefit from it.
Dr. Geetanjali also advices the parents to carry
out pest control at least 3 months before the

Room
Most women in India spend their last stages of
pregnancy, in their parent’s home. It is also this
home, which the baby is most likely to arrive from
the hospital room. The room that baby should stay
in, should be‐

• Well ventilated

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

arrival of the baby, if they are considering doing hinges, springs and routinely maintain the
it. furniture.

Decorating it Cribs‐ Generally popularized by the west, they

offer space, comfort and keep the babies safe.
Decorating a room for the baby brings in all sorts
They have adjustable bed height and some can
of ideas from rainbows to fairies and cartoon
be converted to a toddler bed after the baby
characters. You can let your imagination run free
grows up.
in this room, but think about these things too, as
you go about decorating your baby’s room‐ Cradles‐ The traditional Indian choice to keep
the baby, these come in handy to sway and help
Color‐ Select a color that is neutral and bright.
the baby fall asleep. You can hang various toys
The color should suit both a boy and a girl‐ like
from the cradle that produce music which can
hues of yellow, peach etc. Make sure that the
help to soothe the baby when he is crying or
paint used is lead free.
cranky.
Dr. Geetanjali Shah however says that, “though
Mosquito net‐ The last thing you want is for
we color the walls of the baby’s room in pastel
your baby to be bitten by ruthless mosquitoes
colors and keep colorful soft toys in their room,
and to have their skin covered in mosquito bites.
these colors don’t work much! The colors that
A mosquito net is thus an essential that you
babies can see are white, black and red. If you
must invest in.
keep toys of these colors and have formations of
these colors painted on the wall, these help Safety
stimulate the baby’s brain.” Your home which seems perfectly safe might be
Furniture filled with sharp edges, exposed sockets and

All furniture that you buy must be splinter free, other unknown hazards for the baby. The first

with smooth edges and of a solid construction. few months will be worry free as your baby

You should also need to check for exposed cannot crawl and thus will be safe from any
accidents, however it would be a wise move to

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
start baby proofing your home early on.
The trick lies in looking at your home furniture and
appliances from your baby’s perspective. Take a
tour of the house crawling and look at things that
may interest you like open sockets, tiny objects
lying on the floor and so on. Here are the common
things you can do to baby proof your home.
• Cover electrical sockets with plastic and
rubber outlet covers
• Lock all your cabinets and drawers that are
within the baby’s reach
• Pad all the sharp edges in your furniture or
smoothen it to avoid injury to the baby
• Doorknobs can be fixed with doorknob covers
that prevent your baby from opening the
door and going out
• Stairs inside the house, need to be fixed with
mesh gates
• The buttons on TVs and other electrical
devices should be covered by plastic shields
• Windows need to be fixed with grills and
locks.
You must have by now realized; parenting does
not start from the moment when you bring the
baby home but long before it, since the time you
plan your baby. It is about changing your
priorities or rather choosing the right things as
priorities. Hope you have started doing that, and
Happy Parenting!
11
 How to select a doctor
for your baby?

university may suggest proper validation.

The first step in choosing the right doctor for
• The range of charges the doctor levies per
your baby is starting early! You should start
visit. Sometimes your friends may suggest
looking for the doctor from the time you are
very good doctors, who charge really high
pregnant and make a decision as you near the
fees which might not suit your pockets! So
end of your pregnancy which should ideally be
look for other equally good but less expensive
around the 8 month mark. The next question
options.
that pops up is what to look for in your baby’s
doctor? Here are some tips to give you a head • You should select a doctor that practices

start in choosing the right doctor for your baby. near your home. You cannot take a sick child
and travel for 2 hours just to see the doctor!
Where to start
• How experienced is the doctor? If he is
You need to start by asking your close friends
experienced, is he also in touch with latest
and relatives for any good pediatrician that they
research and treatments? If the doctor is
can refer. You can also take suggestions from
quite new to the profession, he must have a
your Family doctor and your gynecologist;
doctors are known to suggest the name of their
own friends and sometimes relatives too, so it
won’t necessa ri l y be an u nbi a sed
recommendation. Once you get a few names in,
you can start your research.

What to look for

• You can start from the very basics, like

which university has the doctor completed
the specialties form. A well known

12
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

good reference for you to choose him. schedules, co‐ sleeping, vaccinations, single
parenting, day care system and alternative
The Doctors Clinic
medicines?
In the Western countries, there is a concept of
• Check if the opinions of the doctor match
interviewing the doctor before you select him to
up with your own views of parenting. It is
as pediatrician for your baby. You can follow a
always better to have a doctor who feels
similar routine for your baby by visiting the
like you do on most topics rather than have
doctor’s clinic regularly or by just paying a visit to
arguments during the visits.
his clinic with your friend. Once at the doctor’s
clinic, keep an eye for certain things such as. • Some doctors tend to overmedicate the kid
which has a negative impact on the child’s
• Notice the waiting area of the clinic‐ Is it well
health‐ so ask the doctor whether he
furnished? is it child proofed? are there things
believes in herbal or any other form of
to entertain the child with? Is there room
remedy or does he depend on antibiotics
large enough for many babies or is it
only.
cramped?
• Ask him if you can call on his personal
• Observe how the staff reacts to your visit;
phone number and does he always
are they friendly with other parents? Do they
entertain the call. You can also ask if he
take questions on phone, does the doctor
responds to e‐mails.
himself speak or does the staff answer on his
part? • After your talk with him, make a list of
certain things such as during the talk did he
• Ask other parents in the waiting room about
listen intently to what you were saying? Did
their experience with the doctor, whether
he seem to rush through it or was he
they are happy with him.
patient? From his demeanor, you will get an
The Doctor himself idea of how he is with kids and how
When you get an opportunity to meet the doctor receptive he is when it comes to the baby’s
himself, do consider these points. parents.

• What are his opinions on breastfeeding, baby After a careful analysis of all these factors, make

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

a well thought of decision. After the selection,
inform him about your decision and contact him
after the delivery for the first checkup. In the
first year, there will be at least 6 periodic
checkups wherein the doctor will gauge your
baby’s growth. If, you find that in spite of your
careful considerations you and your doctor don’t
seem to gel well, talk to him about it. See if you
can resolve the issue before you change doctors,
as having the same doctor helps in diagnosis and
better treatment of baby’s illness.
To ensure that your child’s health is in safe
hands, choose your doctor carefully.

14
Caring for your Premature Baby

medicines. This will be especially useful at

Generally parents of a new born baby do not
spend more time in the hospital than required –
which is the approximately the first few days after
the baby is born but parents with premature
babies have to spend not only days but weeks in
the neonatal intensive care unit! Seeing their
extremely tiny babies attached to needles and
tubes till the babies gain enough weight ‐ 1.8 Kg or
4 lbs and are strong enough to breathe on their
own properly. Only when the doctors are certain
of the baby’s development will they give their
consent for the baby to be taken home.
Along with the happiness associated with their
baby coming home, the parents are also bound to
be anxious about the health of the baby when he is
at home. Here are some tips to help parents of
premature babies to care for them.
• Always keep the baby in your room so that you
can keep an eye on him.
times, when there would be someone else
taking care of your baby.
• When you are buying diapers, look out for
special diapers that are made for premature
babies. Do the same for their clothes too
however do not buy too many clothes as
your baby will soon outgrow them.
• Remember to wash your hands before you
touch your premature baby.
• Sterilize the baby’s bottles by keeping them
in boiling water, as premature babies are
more susceptible to infections as compared
to normal babies.
• Your baby’s diet sometimes needs to be
supplemented with vitamins, so ask your
doctor if your baby needs them.

• Listen to the baby’s breathing to check for any

irregularities.

• Premature babies cannot warm themselves as

compared to other normal babies; these babies
need to be kept warm at all times.

• Make a list of all the medications that are

needed to be administered to the baby, along
with the timings for the administration of the

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
• Though full term babies start solid foods at 4
months of age, a premature baby needs to
start solids later. Generally doctors
recommend starting solids after the baby’s
weight comes to 5.9 to 6.8 Kg.
Development milestones
If you find that your premature baby is not
reaching the developmental milestones
prescribed for his age, don’t worry. A Premature
baby’s age, though he is born early, should be
calculated from his gestational age which is
called the corrected age. For example, a 5
month old premature baby, who is born two
months preterm, is actually only 3 months old as
per as the corrected age. And if you want to
gauge his growth, remember to use the
corrected age.
Vaccinations
Premature babies are vaccinated in line with a
full term baby’s schedule when their weight (1.5
Kg) is suitable for vaccinations. The only
difference is that these babies do not receive the
Hepatitis B vaccine at birth as other babies do.
Instead the premature babies receive the
vaccine only after they start weighing in at least
1.95 Kg.
16
Breastfeeding
Premature babies need more nourishment and
the best way to ensure this is to feed them with
breast milk. Premature babies, who are breast
fed, develop better and faster than those
premature babies who were bottle fed.
Premature babies have little tummies so they
need to be fed frequently‐every 2 hours. These
babies tire easily too, and sleep through their
feedings so you need to wake them at night to
feed them.
Mothers should select a comfortable position for
breastfeeding the baby like holding him close to
the chest while keeping the neck supported. It is
found that premature babies are most
comfortable in the Football hold (see Football
hold in the chapter ‘Feeding your baby’ page
no.20).
Since a premature baby doesn’t have the rooting
reflex mastered yet, you have to help him by
placing him on the nipple with the areola into
the mouth. Compress your breast lightly with
your fingers to make it easier for him to latch on
to.
You will observe that your baby does not start
feeding right from the start and that he is just
suckling in a motion. You should allow the baby
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
to do that, as suckling stimulates the breasts to
produce more milk and makes it easier for the
baby to get it.
Premature babies take more time to feed as they
are not good at sucking. So even if your baby
stops feeding for a while, wait for a few minutes to
see whether he has really finished feeding or not.
Be patient with breast feedings as sometimes it
takes about an hour or so for a premature baby to
fill up his tummy.
Sleeping
Premature babies spend the early few weeks of
their life in the NICU so they have more problems
in understanding the difference between Day and
Night and tend to take more time than their full
term peers in sleeping through the night.
Normal babies take about 6 months time to
start sleeping through the night; premature
babies, however take more than 6 months to
start sleeping through the night, which means
that the parents of these babies have to remain
awake in the night for longer periods of time.
Also do not allow the baby sleep on his back as
premature babies are more likely to suffer from
SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome as
compared to normally born babies.
There are differences between a premature
baby and term baby but only for a while. After
their second birthday, you will find that his
growth and development is normal after a
while. So relax!
17
 Feeding the baby

infections and urinary tract infection etc.

Feeding the baby be it through breast
away from the baby.
feeding or through a bottle is a rich
• Convenience food: Breast milk is
emotional experience for the mother. It is
available to the baby, be it night or day,
heartening to watch the baby and the
as it does not have to be heated or
mother bond in this special way. This article
prepared! If the mother is going to be
will tell you the right technique and method
away for a while, breast milk can be
for feeding to make it easy for both you and
pumped into a bottle and preserved for
the baby.
later feeds.
Why Breast feed?
• Baby ‐ Mother bonding: Breastfeeding
• It is custom made: Breast milk has at is an amazing way of boosting the bond
least 100 compounds that cow’s milk between a mother and her child. This is
does not have. The composition of the the time when the child maintains an eye
breast milk changes according to the ‐contact with the mother; he cozies up
needs of the baby. It is different in the with the mother and shares a strong
first month as compared to the third; bonding which lasts for a lifetime.
also it is different in the morning than
• Quicker recovery for mother:
the afternoon and different even at the
Breastfeeding releases a range of
beginning of the session.
hormones within the mother’s body that
• Easy to digest: A newborn’s tummy is help her get back in shape. It not only
not equipped to handle the kind of fat
and protein, which is present in the
cow’s milk. Thus, breastfed babies are
less likely to suffer from gas and bowel
problems.

• Boosts immunity: Breast milk has a

healthy dose of antibodies that boost
the infant’s immunity and keeps the
general illnesses like cold, fever, ear

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

heals the uterus but also helps in burning estrogen and progesterone go down and
up to 300 calories per session. prolactin levels go up, which stimulates the
mother’s mammary glands to produce milk.
Understanding Breastfeeding
However, the baby is the one who actually,
Mechanism
regulates the milk flow. As the baby suckles the
Understanding the mechanism of how lactation
breast, prolactin ups the milk production in the
works, will help you understand the right way to
mother.
breast feed your baby.
Need based
Colostrum, the first feed: Mothers are advised to
Breast milk as mentioned earlier, changes its
breastfeed their babies as soon as possible,
properties according to the need of the baby.
preferably just after the delivery ‐ generally within
The breast milk at the start of the feeding
an hour. Even though this may seem tough for the
session is the foremilk or the ‘thirst quencher’
mother who has just overcome her labor pain, she
which is diluted and low in fat. And as the
should do it as immediate breastfeeding is
session progress, the breast begins to produce
essential for good health of both the mother and
hind milk that is high in protein, calories and fat.
the child.
Note: When the feeding session is a shorter one
During the first feed, you will observe a yellowish
or if you change breasts too soon while feeding
colored thick liquid is all that comes out, that too
the baby, he will only get the foremilk and miss
in a very small amount about a teaspoonful. This is
out on the more nutritious hind milk. Hind Milk
the precious Colostrum, that has antibodies which
helps the baby gain weight and shorter feeding
protect your baby from infections and this small
sessions in which he is deprived of hind milk can
quantity filled with protein, vitamins and minerals
result in him being underweight.
proves to be just enough to for the newborn’s
immature digestive system. Colostrum is To know when to change your breast, press your

produced in mother’s body for few days after breast and if it is softer than it was before the

delivery. feed, then you can offer the second breast to

your baby.
The Production

As the baby is pushed out of the body, the body

Position, position, position
quickly starts producing milk. The levels of

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Breast feeding is as much an emotional
experience as it is a physical one for you, so
make sure you and your baby are comfortable.
Choose a quiet corner to maintain focus, which
is required at least at the start.
For mothers who are ready, but clueless, as to
how to place the baby, here are the options:
• Crossover hold: Rest the baby, on the
pillow placed on your lap so that he is at
your breast height. Now support his head
and neck by holding him just below the
neck, with the arm that is opposite to the
breast you are nursing from. Use the other
hand to support your breast.
• Cradle hold: In the classic breast feeding
position, the baby’s head lies in the bend of
the elbow of the arm of the same side of the
body as the breast you are using. This is a
favorite position because the mother can
support the baby when the baby is too little
to support his neck.
• Football hold: The football position is great
for heavy chested mothers and for mothers
who have undergone a Caesarian section
and want to avoid having the baby rest on
their abdomen. It is also a good position to
place an underweight and premature baby.
20
Position your baby in a semi‐sitting
position facing you, with the legs of the
baby under your arm. Remember to use a
pillow to bring your baby to the height of
the breast, cup your breast with the
opposite arm and hold the baby’s neck with
the arm on the same side of the breast that
is nursing.
• Side lying position: This is a good position
when you are nursing in the middle of the
night or if you are resting. Lie on your side
with your head on a pillow and position your
baby on his side facing you. Make sure that
his mouth is in line with the nipple. You can
use a pillow to hold the baby close.
A Proper Latch
Many problems that are associated with breast
feeding can be solved if mothers use the correct
way to latch and position the baby for breast
feeding.
• Not just the nipple‐ the correct latch
includes the nipple as well as the areola or
the dark area surrounding the nipple. Breast
milk will only flow once the baby’s gum
squeeze the areola.
• Make sure the baby sucks the right part,
sometimes in his eagerness to get to the
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
milk your baby may end up sucking on
another part of the breast which leads to sore
breast tissue.
Here is the right way:
1. Tickle the baby’s lips with the nipple, so that the
baby opens his mouth really wide. Another way
is to direct the nipple towards the nose and
then down to his upper lip. This also prevents
the baby’s lower lip from getting pressed.
2. Once the baby opens his mouth wide enough,
get him close to your breast. Do not push your
breast in the baby’s mouth, let him take the
initiative. Keep a hold on your breast until the
baby gets a firm grasp.
3. Once the baby’s chin and the tip of the nose are
touching your breast, the latch is proper. Check
that the lips of the baby are turned outwards
and not tucked in. If you feel that your breast is
blocking his breathing, press your breast and
elevate him a little.
4. Once the feeding is done and your baby still
seems to hold onto your breast, unlatch with
care. Break the suction by putting your finger
into the corner of his mouth and gently pushing
his gums till the suction is released.
Duration
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to
breastfeeding. As long as the positioning of the
baby is right, there is no need to limit the baby’s
feed; you however need to ensure that your
baby feeds from both the breasts and that he is
satiated.
• Your baby will have his own pattern for
feeding – some babies like to feed for as
long as 45 minutes while others like to be
fed for only 15 minutes. The average
nursing time for babies is 20‐30 minutes.
• Ideally one breast should empty at each
feeding, so that your baby gets the hind
milk at least from one breast.
• Sometimes babies drift off to sleep while
still being nursed and wake up to be nursed
with your second breast. In order to
remember which of your breasts were
nursed, tuck a nursing pad or fasten a pin on
that bra cup.
How many times?
As a newborn, your baby will feed eight to ten
times a day, which means you are nursing every
two hours. This does not mean that your baby
feeds as per the clock as some babies feed little
by little all the time, while other babies like their
meals long. As the baby grows older, he will
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

Breast feeding in Public

have to be fed less frequently.
Though there seems to be nothing embarrassing
How to know if your baby is getting enough
about feeding, the very thought of
milk?
breastfeeding in public does not go down with
Though babies generally make sure that they
some women. Here are tips if you feel the same
get enough milk, here are some signs that tell if
• Dress ‘feed friendly’ ‐Saris and Punjabi suits
he is not being fed enough.
with front buttons are good outfit choices
You’re baby is not getting enough milk if he is,
for women who are breastfeeding.
• Having less than 5 large, mustardy bowel
• Choose a quite spot‐ When it is time for the
movements a day
feed, sit in a quiet place away from much
• Urinating less than 8‐10 times a day attention and feed your baby.
• Having yellow smelly urine, with urate • Cover it up‐Carry along a cloth that you can
crystals of red color in it which give the drape over when you are breast feeding.
diaper a reddish tinge
• Don’t wait‐ When you are outside and know
• hardly gulping when he nurses that it’s your baby’s feeding time; do not

• very cranky and fussy most of the time wait for your baby to wail in order to feed
him. Feeding beforehand, will avoid the
Not all of these behaviors are caused due to less
panic and the loud wails that may garner
milk supply, but if you find you baby is showing
more attention.
all these signs and is cranky and underweight,
then he is not getting enough milk.

22
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

Why Formula milk?

How to choose a Formula?
• If you are uncomfortable: Even mothers
There are different types of Formula that you
who seem averse to breast feeding are
can choose from. Though nothing can match up
advised to give it a try for a period of at
to the properties of breast milk, there are
least 6 weeks, if they still feel
different formulas that add protein,
uncomfortable then formula milk is a good
carbohydrates, fats and vitamins almost like
alternative. Do not breastfeed if you are not
those found in breast milk. The options are:
comfortable as babies can detect the
Cow based formula: Cow based formula is
mother’s uneasiness. A bottle given
considered to be the best formula for babies;
lovingly to your baby is better than a
hence a majority of formulas are made of these.
grudging breast offered!
Cow’s milk is made suitable for the baby when
• Fills the tummy for long: Formula milk
lactose is added to protein and butter fat is
prepared from a cow’s milk takes longer to
replaced by vegetable oil.
digest than breast milk, hence the feeding
Soy based formula: This is usually considered if
sessions are extended for a long time. Thus,
the baby has an allergy to cow’s milk or if the
giving more free time to the mom.
parents are vegan and only want vegetarian
• Dad’s help: When the baby has to be
options for the baby. Soy formula does not
bottle fed, dad can play an active role in
make for such a good formula as it is quite
feeding and take the burden off the mother
different from breast milk.
for some time. This also presents the father
Special formulas: These are designed for
with a good opportunity to bond with his
special needs of some babies. Some are lactose
baby.
free for lactose intolerant babies while some are
• Fewer restrictions: When the mother is not
designed for babies suffering from metabolic
breast feeding she is free to take any kind
disorders where the babies cannot metabolize a
of medication, use birth control and eat
kind of amino acid found in proteins. These are
anything she wants.
generally recommended by the doctor for
• Easier to measure: Because the mother special babies. There are other formulas that are
gives the bottle to the baby she knows how organic for the babies of health conscious
much milk her baby has taken and if parents.
whether he is getting enough.

23
 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Your doctor is the best person to tell you what
kind of formula comes close to the real thing
and which one is advisable for your baby. The
special formulas should only be given when
recommended by a doctor.
Different forms
Ready to eat: These formulas are already mixed
with water and packed in bottles of different
sizes. These are very easy to use but heavy on
the wallet.
Ready to pour: These need to be poured into
the bottle of your choice. These formulas are
less expensive than the ready to eat versions but
the remaining liquid after use, needs to be
preserved properly.
Powder: The least expensive option is powder.
It requires more time and work from the
parent’s side. You need to mix the powder with
the right amount of water as specified.
The Correct Way
Keeping it safe:
• Wash your hands before you start the
process of preparing the formula.
• Boil the water needed to be mixed with the
formula. Let it cool before you mix it with
the Formula.
24
• You don’t need to sterilize the bottle and
it’s nipple as simple washing is enough.
Some doctors recommend submerging the
bottle and the nipple in boiled water.
• Check the instructions given by the
manufacturer before you start and do
exactly as mentioned. Too strong and not
strong enough Formula can affect the
baby’s health.
• You don’t necessarily need to warm the
bottle before the feed; the baby will like it
at room temperature too. To give your baby
warm milk; keep the bottle in a bowl of
water. Check the temperature of the bottle
repeatedly before you feed it to the baby.
• After you are done with the feeding, throw
away the formula that is left, because
improper preserving it can lead to the
growth of bacteria.
• For storing the liquid Formula, do as per the
instructions given, but don’t use the
Formula that has been frozen but shows
white streaks.
• You can store prepared bottles of Formula
in the refrigerator. When travelling, you can
take the Formula in an insulated box.
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

Bottle feeding your Baby baby swallows air it will lead to bloating.

• Emotional bonding: For parents who have • Check the flow: if the Formula is flowing

decided to feed their baby only Formula, you out of the baby’s mouth all the time, then

need to remember that feeding is not all the flow is too fast for the baby to swallow

about the physical need but it is also an properly and if the baby seems frustrated

emotional need, so you need to have an with the nipple, then it is too slow. Tighten

alternate skin to skin and eye to eye contact the cap or change the nipple accordingly.

like the one you would have developed

naturally while breastfeeding your baby. • Skin to skin: Babies like physical contact
and when they are fed with skin to skin

• Signal‐ milk is coming: Stroke the baby’s contact it has a positive impact on the baby.

cheek with the finger or the nipple of the So even if you are bottle feeding, you can

bottle so that the baby opens his mouth. Then do so with the baby laid on your chest.

place the nipple between the lips so that he

starts sucking. • Change arms: Holding the baby on one arm
for a long time leads to sore arms, so

• Start slow: Your baby won’t be that keen on change the arm often.

the milk for the first few days after birth, he

will just have a little. • Let him decide: Stop when the baby has
had enough and begins rejecting the bottle;

• Don’t just leave it there: Do not leave the do not force him to complete the bottle as

bottle in the baby’s mouth unattended. It can your baby can tell know when it is full.

cause choking and also does not fulfill the

emotional needs of the baby. Be there with • Sucking pleasure: A breast fed baby is

your baby when you are bottle feeding. likely to remain on the breasts for long
sucking, bottle fed baby will miss out on this

• Don’t let air in: Tilt the bottle so that the part and feel dissatisfied. You can give him

nipple is always filled with the Formula. If the

25
 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

a pacifier for a while after feeding to avoid • Just hold the baby on the shoulder with his

the dissatisfaction. bottom supported with one hand and rub

his back with your free hand.
Burping
• You can also place your baby face down on
Your work is not over just with feeding your
your lap with his head on one leg and his
baby, burping him is also important. The
tummy on another leg; you can then pat or
purpose of burping your baby is to remove the
rub his back to burp him.
air that your baby sucks in along with the milk.
This is an important part of the feeding process • Another way of doing this is by placing your

because air in the tummy causes discomfort to baby on your lap and rubbing his back with

the baby. his face leaning forwards supported at the

back. Take care to see that his head does
Here is the way to do it‐
not flop backwards.

26
 Baby hygiene

with him. Doing this will calm your baby.

“How difficult can it be to bathe a baby?” you had
Temperature: When you are bathing the baby,
thought but when you come to actually doing it is
make sure that the temperature is comfortable
when you realize that it is no easy task; the baby
for him. The temperature of the room should be
doesn’t like to be undressed and is wary of the
between 240 C to 270 C that is considered
water at first. You also realize that supporting the
comfortable for the baby. Heat water at a
baby’s neck while cleaning his body in not as
normal range and check it by dipping your
simple as it seems.
elbow in it, let the water be warm yet
Relax; we give you tips that will make bath times comfortable for the baby.
easier for you. We also give you guidelines on the
You will need,
other slippery topics like cleaning the baby’s
umbilical stump, trimming his nails and taking • Baby Soap and Shampoo
care of this oral hygiene, so read on….
• 2 soft clean clothes for a sponge bath
Bath
• Sterile cotton wool balls for cleaning
Time: Any time of the day can be the right time to the eyes
give a bathe a baby! But the time before he sleeps
• Towel preferably with a hood
seems to work the best as it soothes the baby and
is more practical as the baby is more likely to stay
clean after that. Do not bathe the baby just after a
meal as he is likely to spit the food out.

Mood: The worst thing you can do during bath

times is be flustered and inattentive. Your baby
can sense whether you are confident or nervous
through your touch and will react accordingly
during bath times. So it becomes imperative that
you show, that you know what you are doing and
by confidently holding him and singing or talking

27
 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
• Clean nappy and clothing
• Ointment or cream for nappy rash
• Warm water
• A baby tub for a bubble bath
Sponge bath
Until the umbilical cord (and Circumcision
wound if present) is healed, water baths will be a
no‐ no for the baby, a sponge bath is all that
your baby will have to contend with!
Keep all the apparatus ready before you start.
Get the baby ready, remove all his clothing
except the diaper and cover him in a loose
towel. Since babies can easily catch cold and
feel uncomfortable being completely bare
always cover him in a towel and just expose the
part you want to clean. Do not remove his
diaper until it is the time to wash his bottom.
You need to start from the cleanest part of the
body to the dirtiest, i.e. from the head to
the diaper area.
• Head: You don’t need to wash the baby’s
head everyday with shampoo , shampooing
it once or twice in a week and a daily rinsing
with water is generally enough. While
washing the head, maintain a careful hold
28
on his head and gently pour water and rub
with the cloth. Do not forget to dry his head
with the towel before proceeding further.
• Face: There is no need to use soap for the
baby’s face, just move your wet hands over
his face. For his eyes, use a sterile, cotton
wool ball and moist it in warm water and
gently clean the eyes in an outwards
motion. For the ears, just wipe the external
side of the ear, do not use ear buds.
• Neck and Chest: Clean this area carefully,
especially the folds of skin where sweat and
dirt can accumulate.
• Arms: Extend the baby’s arms so that you
can get to the creases of the elbows. To
clean his hands, press his fists gently so that
he opens his fist. Use soap for this area as it
is most exposed to dust and germs. After
cleaning it, wipe it dry before the baby puts
his fingers back into his mouth.
• Back: Place the baby on his back and begin
cleaning his back especially his neck folds.
There is no need to apply soap as the baby’s
back isn’t exposed much. Dry it and cover
the upper body if the temperature is cold.
• Legs: Extend the legs and wipe carefully,
 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

get to the area at the back of his knees and
dry.
• Diaper area: There is no special care that
needs to be taken for circumcised penis, just
soap and water applied externally after the
wound heals is enough. Otherwise it is
important to clean all the creases without
retracting the foreskin. For girls, wash from
front to the back with soap and water and
pour water over all the parts.
After washing the bottom, dry it and apply cream
or ointment if needed.
Baby bath
Once the umbilical cord stump falls off, you can
give your baby a full fledged bath. All kids have a
different reaction to being in water, some consider
it to be similar to the womb and enjoy it and
others are tearful and wary of the water.
The things required are the same as a sponge
bath. Once you have everything ready, undress
the baby and gently slip him into the bath tub,
talking to the baby in soothing words, hold him
firmly as he is expected to be startled at first. Hold
the baby in a semi reclining position with the neck
supported with your hands until he is old enough
to support his neck.
With your free hand, wash the baby from the
cleanest to the dirtiest area in the same way as
in the sponge bath.
Oral hygiene
You need to start taking care of the baby’s oral
hygiene even before his first tooth appears.
After feedings, wipe your baby’s gum with your
finger wrapped in gauze to remove any food
residue and to prevent plaque buildup. After the
first teeth come in, use a baby toothbrush and
with pea sized toothpaste on it clean his teeth
and tongue.
Nail trimmings
For their size, newborns have an amazing nail
growth, their finger nails need to be trimmed
every week and toe nails every 2 weeks. The
best time to trim these is after a bath when they
are asleep. You need a baby‐sized nail clippers
or blunt‐nosed scissors to trim his nails.
Remember not to cut too close to his finger.
Ear care
Clean the entrance to the baby’s ear but don’t
touch the insides of his ear canal. Clean the
external part of the baby with a cotton wool
ball. Don’t try the swab or with a finger.

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Nose care
Generally, the nose cleans itself through the
mucus but if you find that your baby has a cold
you can use an infant nasal aspirator. It has a
special rubber suction bulb to remove the
excess mucus from the baby’s nose, all you have
to do is squeeze the bulb at the end of the
syringe first, then insert the pointed tip gently
into baby’s nose and slowly release the bulb. If
the secretions are thick, your doctor may
recommend that you liquefy them with saline
nose drops meant for babies. Do not use cotton
swabs, tissues or your fingers to remove any
material from inside his nose as you may just
push the matter deep inside the nose or worse
scratch the membrane.
Umbilical cord care
Keep the stump of the umbilical cord clean and
dry until it falls off. The cord usually falls off in a
few weeks time. Clean the cord at each diaper
change to help it dry out and to prevent
infection. Wipe the area around the cord with a
cotton swab dipped in alcohol and then squeeze.
Make sure you fold the diaper below the navel
area to keep the cord from being soaked with
urine. If you notice pus or redness at the base of
the cord, or if baby cries when you touch it, call
your pediatrician.
30
 Friends, Family and the Baby

Your little one‐ The focus of all attention

• Watch his hands: Babies usually put their
Do you remember the time, when you announced
fingers in their mouths, so you have to be
the news of your pregnancy to your family and careful of visitors or strangers coming in
friends? Do you remember them being almost and touching his hands. If they do,
more elated than you? Giddily happy at the discreetly and almost immediately wash the
prospect of a little baby that will soon enter the baby’s hands or wipe them with soft tissues
world! Their fussing over you, pampering you which won’t harm his skin.
along with the gradual changes in your body such
• Blame the doctor‐ When you can’t be
as the belly growing bigger and your face glowing,
honest, blame the doctor! Tell the visitors
certainly made you feel special and above all
that the doctor has asked you to restrict the
happy.
handling of the baby.
But now that the baby is born, this elated bunch of
• Away from rashes: If any one of the visitors
well wishers simply refuses to leave your baby
or relatives are suffering from skin
alone and you are worried about germs passing
infection, rashes or open sores, ask them to
from then onto the baby…
avoid direct skin contact with the baby.
But there’s no need to worry as we give you
• No smokers: If any of your close relatives
ways to keep the baby safe and yet not hurt
are smokers politely tell them not to kiss or
friends and family’s feelings too,
touch the baby after they have smoked.
• It’s temporary: Your child is very sensitive to
all possible kinds of germs and infections for
the first few months of his life, a safe bet
would be to say till around the first 2 months.
After this period, he must be allowed in
normal environment to boost his immunity.

• Make them wash their hands: You can

politely ask the visitors to wash their hands
and legs before they touch the baby.

31
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Even though the smoker does not smoke in
the presence of the baby, the tobacco
particles remain on his body which can be
harmful for the baby.
• Flu blues: Ensure that visitors with flu avoid
close contact with the baby; they must not
sneeze around the baby and if they do, they
must use a handkerchief. When it is the
mother who is suffering from a cold and has
to breast feed her child, she must
remember to wash her hands before
touching her baby.
Remember, a good social circle where the baby
is loved and cared for is more important for the
baby’s development; the risk of catching the
germs is real only for the first few months. Later
the contact with germs will only boost the
immunity and keep the baby healthy in future.
Grandparents and Babies
Grandparents love to dote on their
grandchildren. As the first time round, with their
own kids all they got to do was the difficult part‐
changing the diapers, feeding and soothing the
baby. And now the second time round when
they aren’t really needed to do the changing and
cleaning, they have all the time in the world to
play, sing and laugh with the baby, as you do the
cleaning and changing.
Most of the time, you are grateful for their
presence for their experience and help with
chores, lightens the burden over your head. The
only problem is the clash of ideas, as you find
that your mother‐in‐law does not trust the
modern nappies, your mother frowns upon the
very idea of baby food being given to her
grandchild and sometimes they even disagree
with your very instincts!
How to tell them what you feel?
• Talk to them about the differences of
opinion, if needed take the help of your
spouse. Discuss how parenting today is
different from that of your childhood. Tell
them how advanced research has brought
forth different techniques today.
• Take the help of the Pediatrician in case of
unsafe practices like –dhuri, kajal etc( Read
Modern vs. Traditional approach to
Parenting page no.89) and make them
realize that for the safety of the baby these
practices need to change.
• When their advice becomes more like
interference, you need to handle it more
tactfully. If you tell them your basic
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
parenting rules such as‐ what time the baby
needs to sleep, what is the correct time to
massage the baby, what foods to offer to the
baby etc. and let them do the execution, you
will find that they are more than happy to
oblige!
Older sibling and the Baby
When the second one’s coming the first one is
bound to feel left out, less loved and jealous, too!
The pregnancy part they can handle but having to
share their parents with another might prove
difficult for them. The parent’s lap has to be
shared and so are the hugs and kisses along with
the toys and sometimes the room. Suddenly they
are the older one and are expected to behave
responsibly! Some measures taken by the parents
can help the older kid deal with their siblings in a
positive way,
• Be Honest and open‐ You must start
preparing your older child for the arrival of a
sibling, right from the time you are about to
show the signs of your pregnancy. You must
tell them that a new member of the family is
coming and is growing inside mummy.
• More Daddy time‐Anticipating that the
mother won’t be able participate as actively as
before, daddies can take over! Fathers must
33
spend more time with the first born and let
them know that they are still loved and
nothing will change that.
• Give them time: Mothers will be totally
engrossed with the newborn in the early
days after the delivery, leaving the older
sibling on the sidelines. Mothers need to
consciously spend time alone with the older
sibling perhaps when the baby is sleeping or
when the spouse is looking after the baby,
to make sure that the older sibling get his/
her share of attention too.
• Involve them: When older siblings are
involved in the baby’s chores they will not
feel left out. Ask them to do simple things
such as getting you the diaper when you
want to change the baby’s diaper, making
the bed and reading stories to the baby.
Remember not to let them do more than
they should at their age, remember they are
kids too.
Also Remember‐
• Never leave your baby alone with a kid less
than 5 years of age
• Do not let the older child, hold the baby on
their own.
• Explain to the older child early on, how
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
delicate small babies are. Make sure they
understand that babies are not toys and
they cannot pull and push the baby around.
When your firstborns are secure about your love
and affection, they are less likely to feel
threatened and will be more like the bhaiya or
the didi you want them to be!
Dealing with Pet’s Jealousy
Pets have been your babies before you had
human ones! The arrival of the baby may bring
feelings of jealousy among your pets (dogs and
cats). You need to prepare your pet for the baby
before the actual delivery, only then can you
expect cooperation from them.
• Get your dog used to obedience training.
Get him to stay at your orders. Don’t worry;
you won’t be curbing his personality in the
process! By obedience training, you are just
channelizing his energy in a better way.
• Get him used to babies by inviting friends
over who have babies. Let your pet smell
and see the baby from a distance and
observe their reaction.
• Take a baby doll and pretend that it is the
baby for some days, talk to it, nurse it and
treat the dog as you would if the real baby
was home‐ no loud barking, no coming too
close or licking the baby and no fussing.
• If the pet has a habit of sleeping with you
and if you intend on keeping the baby in
your room, the dog has to sleep elsewhere!
Make the change at least a month before,
so that the pet does not hold it against the
baby.
With time your pet is likely to adjust to the new
born and treat it with their trademark style; with
love and lots of affection!
34
 Thumb Sucking

Your little angel is sleeping soundlessly on the How to deal with it?

bed, quite cozy in the blankets! Surely, a • Allow the baby to stay at the breast after

priceless image, when suddenly the baby’s the feeding is over. The last 5‐6 minutes of

thumb appears out of nowhere and he begins the feeding are when the baby is just

sucking on his thumb; you have a powerful urge sucking for comfort. If the baby still sucks on

to remove the thumb that instant. But, stop and the thumb after breastfeeding, then allow

relax! Thumb sucking is a very common habit him to feed at one breast and use the other

found in almost all babies. Sometimes one for sucking.

sonography images show that the baby is • Older babies who are bottle fed will find the
sucking his thumb even in the womb. Here is sucking experience of the bottle
why babies take up thumb sucking and how you unsatisfactory and may take up the habit of
can deal with it. thumb sucking. To deal with this situation,

Why?
Babies have an instinct to suck, when they
realize that the thumb provides for an excellent
sucking option, they gladly indulge in it! Thus
thumb sucking soothes and comforts the baby.

Sometimes thumb sucking may just be a sign

that the baby is hungry and it also stops after
the baby is fed. If this is the cause, increase the
frequency of the feeding.

It is also seen that breastfed babies are less

likely to thumb suck as compared to the bottle
fed babies, since their need to suck is being
fulfilled at the mother’s breast itself!

35
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
the parents can reduce the flow of milk from
the bottle, so that the baby can be satisfied by
the feeding as well as the sucking part.
• You may find that giving the baby a pacifier
will be a better option than allowing it to
thumb suck, because the habit of sucking the
pacifier is easy to break and the baby is likely
to discontinue it himself as compared to the
habit of thumb sucking.
• The right time to break the habit of a pacifier
is when the baby is around the three month
mark. At this age, babies have a small
attention span and quickly forget the habit.
• When thumb sucking as a habit is carried over
the first few months, it begins to become a
way of dealing with stress, for the baby. So
when you find your baby thumb sucking,
especially if he’s starting again after having
stopped for a few days, it may be due to
stress.
• Try to distract the baby whenever he tries to
thumb suck. You should do it without actually
pulling out the thumb from his mouth,
which will make him more stressed than he
already is.
• Most kids stop thumb sucking on their own
by the first or the second year when they
spend time with their peer group.
Buck teeth?
Most parents are worried that their thumb
sucking baby will end up having buck teeth and
is destined to be laughed at for life. But these
are just baseless fears of worried parents; thumb
sucking in the first few years will not result in
buck teeth for life. The reason being, teeth
before 6 years of age are milk teeth and will fall
off to make way for a completely new set of
teeth. But if the habit stays beyond 6 years of
age then you need to take some steps to stop
your baby from thumb sucking.
Now that you know the truth behind thumb
sucking, go back and enjoy seeing your little
angel sleep!
36
 Keep your baby smiling in all
weathers!

• In summers, let your baby wear loose

A change of season and you have plenty of
fitting, light colored clothing when he is
people with running noses, headaches, fevers
indoors.
and colds. The common cause we hear is the
• When outside of the home, the baby should
weather. We find our immunity so weak that
be wearing light weight caps and hats that
any change in the weather reflects badly on our
protect his head without overheating it.
health. Imagine if we as adults struggle to adjust
to different weather conditions! How will our • The summer clothes of your baby must be
little, delicate babies fare? absorbent, and should let the air circulate.

Your only solution to ensure the health and
safety of your baby in changing weather
conditions is to keep him covered as much as
possible. In fact it is observed that parents pile
on layers upon layers of clothes on their baby in
attempts to ‘protect him’ even when it is not
cold. Learn more about the effect of changing
climatic conditions on the health of your baby
and keep him safe and healthy.
• On hot sweaty nights, your baby can sleep
in diapers alone.
• Damp clothes must be changed at once and
prickly heat powder must be applied onto
your baby’s skin
Fans and air conditioners:
When indoors, keep the temperature cool with
ACs and fans. Just make sure that your baby is

Summers
Your baby is crying. He is fed, clothed, his diaper
changed. Why can he be crying? ‐ It is hot and
sunny outside, the temperature soaring as the
day goes on and you are wearing light cotton
clothes while the baby is sweating it out in two
layers of clothes!

Babies do not need to be kept covered all the

time. When the temperature is hot; they need to
be dressed accordingly.

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

not directly under the flow of the fan or the AC
and that the temperature of the AC does not go
below 220 C.
If the hands and legs of your baby seem cold then
he is not chilly, he is just perspiring. His head, neck
and underarms will tell you if they are really warm
or cold.
Fluids
minutes before an exposure to sunlight.
• Protect the nose, lips and ears by making
the baby wear hats with rims, as these parts
are most susceptible to the sun.
• In the hot weather, take the baby out only
in the mornings or late afternoons as the
temperature at other hours of the day will
be extremely hot for the baby.

When you find the temperature soaring, Heatstroke

remember to hydrate your baby. Since babies Babies are not only sensitive to cold
loose so much of water through their urine, they temperature but also to excessive heat.
constantly require replacement of the fluids. Excessive heat can be very dangerous for babies
Babies less than 6 months who are breastfed as their body’s temperature regulation systems
generally get all the fluids through breast milk and aren’t functional and they find it difficult to cool
hence do not need additional water unless it is themselves effectively.
recommended by the doctor. Formula fed babies
Symptoms to look out for:
can also be given water between the feedings if
the doctor suggests. You can give older babies • Skin that is hot and dry

fruit juices and water in cups but extra sweetened • Very high fever
and fizzy drinks must be avoided.
• Diarrhea
Being in the Sun
• Lethargy
• Babies are prone to sunburn as they have a
• Loss of consciousness
relatively thin and delicate skin. You need to
Rainy season
apply sunscreen with adequate SPF
protection (of at least 15). Apply sunscreen to After the heat of the summer, lashing monsoons
a patch of his skin first, to make sure that follow bringing along, humidity and waterborne
there is no allergic reaction to the sunscreen. diseases like Jaundice, Diphtheria, Cholera and
Apply sunscreen every two hours and 15

38
 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Gastroenteritis.
Here is what you can do to protect your baby
in monsoons:
• Due to the humidity during monsoons,
babies wet the diapers repeatedly; you will
have to check for these more regularly to
prevent infections and fevers.
• Because the baby urinates frequently in the
rainy season, make up for the fluid lost with
frequent feedings.
• Humidity can lead to many fungal and skin
infections on the baby’s skin; one thing that
you may need to do is to keep your baby
warm and dry.
• Extra precaution must be taken by those
parents whose babies suffer from asthmatic
attacks.
• If the baby is suffering from loose motions
you might need to give Oral Rehydration
Solution to provide the glucose and
electrolytes that are lost by the baby as per
the doctor’s advice. Another way to provide
fluids is through juices and coconut water.
• All the vegetables and fruits need to be
washed well before being offered to the
baby.
39
• All the baby foods that are given to the baby
need to be prepared fresh.
• There is an increased risk of mosquitoes
causing malaria and dengue in monsoon so
make sure that your baby sleeps under a
mosquito net.
Winter Control
Winters brings cold winds, chilly mornings and
are the perfect time for you to cover your baby
with woolens, mittens, coats, socks and monkey
caps. It is very important to cover the baby
adequately in winters because infants under 6
months have a greater ratio of body surface to
body weight and also because they can’t shiver
to generate heat yet.
• Even in a slightly cool weather, babies need
to wear a hat to prevent the loss of precious
body heat through the head.
• You need to cover your baby’s neck with
scarves but do not cover the nose of the
baby.
• The baby should have had a meal or a snack
before venturing out, as the chilly weather
can lead to rapid burning of calories.
• To check if the baby is too cold, touch his
neck, head and the underarms; if these
seem cold it indicates that the baby needs
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
more layers of clothes.
• If the weather is chilly and dry, apply a
moisturizing cream on the baby’s skin before
venturing out with him.
• When indoors, make sure that the baby is not
too wrapped up in clothes and if he is hot
inside, reduce some layers to make him
comfortable.
Skin care
The cold dry air in winters is sure to dry out the
baby’s soft and smooth skin. You need to take
care of his skin. Here is how you can,
• A well hydrated baby will have supple skin,
so make sure that the baby gets adequate
water.
• A good moisturizing cream meant for
babies, needs to be applied over his skin.
• Bath time should be cut down as water and
soap dry up your baby’s skin.
With these precautions you can be sure that
your baby will be smiling be it the summer,
winter or the rain.
40
 Diapering your Baby

It was the right time; he was engrossed in his thing you need to know about your baby’s dia‐
newest favorite toy when you decided to do it! pers.
As discreetly as possible, but just as you were
There are two options available to parents when
lifting his legs, he gauged your movements
it comes to choosing a diaper for their baby ‐ the
and showed his disapproval through his cries
traditional cloth diaper or the disposable one.
and kicks. Yes, we are talking about changing
There are also pros and cons that come with
the diaper ‐ the one chore that nobody really
each variety of the diaper and the things to con‐
enjoys; the baby does not like being in contact
sider when choosing a diaper for your baby are ‐
with the cool air outside and you don’t like
affordability, convenience and whether it suits
your baby’s discomfort along with the fact
your baby’s skin.
that you will get your hands and sometimes
We give you a comparison between the two to
even your face dirty, in the process. Whatever
help you decide better.
the case is, you need to do it; here is every‐

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

Disposable Diapers

Benefits Drawbacks

• They stay dry for a longer time and are

• They are convenient changed less frequently, both of which

can lead to a diaper rash on your
baby’s bottom.
• They save time
• The super absorbency makes it diffi‐
cult to calculate the amount urinated
• They are easier to change and dispose by the baby. This in turn makes it diffi‐
cult to know if the quantity of milk
consumed by the baby is sufficient.
• They are more absorbent and less likely to
leak. • Babies get used to disposable diapers
which lead to a difficulty in potty train‐
ing them as they grow older.

Cloth Diapers

Benefits Drawbacks
• Less expensive
• Frequent diaper changes which means a • They are not adequately sanitized
very less chance of your baby develop‐ which increases the chances of a nappy
ing a diaper rash rash for the baby.

• These make it easier to know the
amount of urine passed by your baby,
which in turn helps you to know whether
the feed was enough or not, for the
baby.
• Require a lot of work, as they need to
be washed and cleaned regularly.
• Cause frequent leaks.

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Types of cloth diapers:
Cloth diapers have undergone a lot of change
since the days of the langoti. Today there are
various styles of the cloth diapers to match those
of the disposable variety.
The types available are:
• All‐In‐Ones – These are the most convenient
types of cloth diapers which require no
folding, no fastening and no diaper cover.
These have a built‐in waterproof shell and are
fitted with Velcro or snaps.
• Covers and wraps with flats and pre‐folds:
These provide a waterproof outer layer and
are used with most types of cloth diapers.
These are generally fastened over the
absorbent cloth layer with snaps or hook‐and‐
loop tabs. Pre‐folds are simple pieces of cloth,
typically cotton that act as the absorbent
when you fold it to fit your baby. They’re used
with a cover and include squares and pre‐fold
diapers, with a center strip that is several
layers thick.
How to change Diapers?
In the early days diapers needed to be changed
almost every hour when the baby is awake.
Though the process of changing the diaper is a
tedious one, it is better to change the diaper
43
frequently than facing the diaper rash.
The Diaper size: You need to choose a diaper
taking into consideration the size of your baby.
A size too small, can cause discomfort for the
baby, while a bigger size will lead to leaks. Even
for the disposable diapers you need to check the
actual size of the diaper along with the size
mentioned on the pack, to judge if it will fit your
baby or not.
The place: Select a place which is clean, has a
smooth surface and is at a suitable height for
you. Spread a waterproof cloth over the surface
where you change the baby’s diapers, to prevent
stains on the surface.
What will you need?
A fresh diaper, a change of clothes if the diaper
has leaked; ointment or cream for the diaper
rash, cotton balls and warm water to clean
babies less than a month old and a dry cloth,
towel or baby wipes to clean older babies.
Make sure you have some toy that distracts the
baby while you are changing the diaper, or you
can even sing and talk to him while you are at it.
Remember: Make sure you have everything at
hand when you start diapering your baby, so
that you do not have to leave him unattended
even for an instant, while his diapers are being
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

changed. legs, slide the diaper half way in, then bring
the front side up, put out the tabs and then
Process of Changing the Diaper:
bring the tabs together .
• Wash your hands before you begin.
• For Cloth Diapers: For those with a
• Keep one hand on the baby to prevent him
separate cover, the pre fold diaper needs to
from rolling off the surface.
be folded to fit the size of the baby, for
• Unfasten the diaper but don’t remove it yet. small sized babies fold along the longer side
First check if it is soiled by stool, then clean of the cloth to increase the absorbency and
the area as much as you can with the diaper decrease the size. For older babies, fold
itself and then slide the clean diaper below the along the smaller side of the cloth, to have
baby. Hold a cloth over the front side of your sufficient front and back cover.
baby boy, as boys tend to spray urine as soon
• First slide the cover in, then put in the pre‐
as the diaper is removed.
fold diaper and close the Velcro tabs.
• Use baby wipes or a cloth to clean the bottom
• Remember to clean your hands with a
of the baby. Pay more attention to skin folds
sanitizer after diapering your baby.
and genitals as these areas are more prone to
bacterial growth which leads to a diaper rash.
Here are some tips to keep in mind
• For baby girls, wipe from the front to back so when using diapers:
that there is a less chance of infection. For
baby boys, clean from back to front as there
• If you are using safety pins to hold the
may be some dirt under the foreskin, but do
diaper, use over sized ones and keep your
not pull on the foreskin.
finger between the pin and the baby’s skin
• After cleaning the area, make sure that the as you are attaching it.
area is dry before you apply an ointment for a
rash or before putting a new diaper on. • Remember to empty the contents in the

• For Disposable Diapers: Now, lift the baby’s toilet before tossing the diaper in a diaper

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
bag or a diaper pail which is a plastic dust bin
specially designed for keeping soiled diapers.
• For cloth diapers, you can spray the diaper
with water and sprinkle some baking soda on
it to get rid of the odor before washing. Also
remember to keep the diaper away from
other laundry items.
• Wash the diapers with a mild detergent in hot
water and give a double rinse each time you
wash.
The Devil called as Diaper Rash
It is common to find red rashes around the diaper
area of the baby; these are nothing but‐ ‘Diaper
rashes’. A Diaper rash affects more than 35% of
babies. It occurs when the nappy area is exposed
to high moisture, various chemicals, frequent
rubbing and low air flow and when that the area
develops openings; they are attacked by germs
found in stool and urine.
Here is what you can do to prevent Diaper
rashes:
• Check the Diaper and change it regularly,
especially if it is soiled by stool.
• Let the diaper area dry completely before
putting a new clean diaper on it.
• Don’t scrub the area with too much force to
45
clean it as baby’s have a delicate skin;
similarly don’t use soap every time you
clean. Using mild baby soap once a day is
enough.
• Use a cloth diaper, only after you sanitize it
completely by soaking it in boiling water
with 120 ml of vinegar.
Ways to treat diaper rash:
• If the baby has developed a diaper rash,
change his diapers more frequently. You
will have to change the diapers also at night
to prevent the rash aggravating.
• Reduce the baby’s intake of liquid, so he
urinates less frequently.
• Keep your baby’s bottom open and let him
remain on cotton blankets for some time.
Babies can also be allowed to sleep with
bare bottoms.
• Change the type of diaper if you find that
the baby’s skin reacts badly to the diaper
you use.
• For the Diaper rash apply an ointment that
contains zinc oxide on his dry bottoms
• Don’t use powder on the diaper rash but
sprinkling a little corn flour helps.
If the baby’s rash shows no sign of improvement
within 3 days, consult your pediatrician.
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
What does the poop tell you?
Any pediatrician will tell you that to know if the
baby is okay, look not only at his face but also at
his poop. Sounds weird? It is true. The color and
texture of the baby’s stool can tell you about how
he is doing and feeling. Here is what the poop tells
you,
• Sticky, tar‐like, black or dark green Stool‐
Parents are alarmed that their newborn is
excreting this frightening looking stool. But
there is no reason to panic, as this is nothing
but meconium‐ this stuff consists of the many
materials that the baby ingested when it was
inside the womb like bile, mucus, epithelial
cells.
• Grainy, greenish yellow or brown Stool‐ This
type of stool appears after few days of birth as
the meconium makes way for a normal stool.
• Seedy, curdy, creamy or lumpy; light yellow
to mustard green Stool‐ These are the
stools that a breastfeeding baby will pass on
a day to day basis.
• Slightly formed; light brownish to bright
yellow to dark green Stool‐ The formula
fed babies pass these kind of stools.
• Frequent, watery, greener than usual
Stool‐ This stool signals diarrhea.
• Hard, pellet‐ like; mucous or blood
streaked Stool‐ The painful arrival of this
stool signals constipation.
• Black stool‐ It is the result of iron
supplementation.
• Red streaked Stool‐ It means rectal fissure
or milk allergy.
• Mucousy; green or light brown Stool‐ It
can be a result of a viral infection or a
stomach infection.
46
 Why is my Baby crying!?

others. Shower as much love and attention

All you hear is that noise, your baby’s smile
on your baby as you can, don’t worry it
suddenly contorts to a frown, the brow creases,
won’t spoil him ‐instead it will make your
the lip quivers and gradually the cry gets loud
baby feel safe and will also make him less
enough to wake up the entire building. So, just
cranky.
what is it with your baby’s cries, which make you
• Tired‐ Babies generally seem to become
so nervous and restless? His cry urges you to hug
cranky towards the evening. It is simply
him at that very instant, and sometimes this
because they are tired. Even when your
works, but, many times, even after holding,
baby is highly stimulated due to more than
feeding and distracting, the cry continues.
usual activity at home i.e. too many people
At such times, most first time parents are stumped
holding him and talking to him, he will cry,
as to just what are the various reasons that make
to show that he has had enough. A cry that
their baby cry…
is whiny, nasal and that continues for a long
We give you possible reasons why your baby time shows that your baby is tired.
may be going full vocal:
• Cold or hot‐ Babies hate it when they have
• Hunger‐ The most common reason why to change their nappies and lie uncovered
babies cry is hunger. The cries for hunger are or when they are taking a bath. Babies like
generally short and sharp. Hunger cries are to remain warm and snuggled in a blanket,
preceded by cues like lip smacking and finger
sucking.

• Boredom‐ Sometimes your baby may cry just

because he is bored. This cry starts as a “coo”
then turns into a “fuss” and finally loud bursts
of crying alternate with soft whimpers.

• Craving affection‐ Babies like the feeling of

being held, cuddled, and being spoken to.
Some babies need more affection than

47
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
but if you wrap them in way too many layers,
your baby will let you know by crying. Ensure
that you add only one more layer of clothing
than the number of layers you are wearing.
• Diaper’s wet: Babies feel uncomfortable with
soiled diapers, and will keep on crying until
they are cleaned and dried properly. While
checking for the wet diaper, also look out for
diaper rash.
• Illness: If your baby is really not feeling well,
he will give a weak nasal cry. Others signs for
illness are refusal to feed and lethargy.
• Colic: Attention all parents! If your baby
seems to cry often, even though he is fed, has
your complete attention and even after his
diaper has been changed, then he might be a
colic baby.
More about Colic Babies‐
• Colic condition starts in babies from the 3rd
week and continues till 3 months. Colicky
babies are known to cry for no apparent
reason for a longer period of time than normal
babies. About 1 in 4 babies has colic. Dealing
with colicky babies is very difficult since no
amount of soothing can get them to stop
crying.
What you can do‐
• Swaddling or keeping the baby wrapped in
a blanket or cloth seems to help
• Colicky babies tend to have gastronomical
problems so burp them frequently
• Sometimes modification in the breast
feeding mother’s diet (elimination of milk,
beans, cabbage, spices and coffee) also
helps
• Try soothing a colicky baby by singing him a
lullaby and creating a soothing atmosphere
• Relax, sometimes anxiety and tension in
parents can also cause colic in babies
Tips for mothers
For mothers whose babies suffer from colic,
‘stress’ seems to be an understatement. The
incessant crying that can go up to 3 hours a day
is enough to drive anyone mad;
Here are some tips for you:
• Take a break‐ When you have done
everything to soothe your baby and nothing
works, then it’s advisable to take deep
breaths and just keep your calm. Try to
distract yourself by doing something else
other than just watching your baby cry.
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

your fault. Similarly you should also not

• Ask for help‐ For you to keep your wits about
blame your baby for crying too, as he is
you; you need to have a few moments of
merely expressing himself.
peace. You must ask your spouse or friend to
Crying is only a way in which your baby can
mind your baby for some time, so that you
communicate with you. If the reason your baby
can relax.
cries, baffles you in the start, don’t worry! As
• Don’t blame yourself or the baby‐ If you
with experience you will be able to tell what
think it is your inexperience or bad parenting
your baby requires and you will also be able to
that is causing colic in your baby, relax, it’s not
soothe him better and faster.

49
 Baby massage- A Gift for both
Parents and Babies

smell of the oil and her soothing voice speaking

Baby massages have become a tricky subject to
to the baby.
deal with in many households! What with the older
Furthermore, touch is a very important mode of
generation believing that massages are vital for
communication between the mother and child
the baby’s development, as opposed to the baby’s
in the first few months of the baby’s growth as it
parents who may not be entirely convinced of its
communicates the mother’s love to the child.
benefits. To top this confusion within the
Plus touch has such remarkable effect that it is
household, are some doctors who themselves are
even known as touch therapy!
against the very practice of massaging the baby!
The reason for their opposition is not the practice For the Baby‐

itself but the other practices around it like Research by The Touch Research institute at
applying kajal, instilling oil in the baby’s ears and Miami University has proven what our
nose along with the fear of the masseuse applying grandmothers have been saying since ages!
too much pressure on the baby. Massaging improves circulation, boosts

Baby massage if done in the right way will not only immunity, stimulates digestion, aids sleep,
foster baby’s growth and development but also improves growth, reduces stress and helps
give the mother and baby an incredible bonding during diarrhea and constipation in babies. It

experience. Even though in India, we have older

women who specialize in giving these massages,
you can massage your baby yourself at least once
a day to get all the benefits that it can give.

Why are massages great for the Baby

and you?
Multi sensory experience‐

During the development of the fetus, the senses of

sound, touch and smell are amongst the quickest
to develop. These senses are well stimulated
during a massage, as there is the mother’s touch,

50
 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

also shows that babies who are massaged have are said to be more beneficial for the babies

more chances of gaining normal weight than than the commercially available baby oils, even

others. babies are known to react well to natural oils.

For Mothers‐ Another consideration, when choosing an oil to

massage your baby is whether your baby is
According to Dr. Geetanjali Shah, pediatrician and
allergic to the oil. To check, apply a few drops of
co‐author of Garbhasanskar (a book on pre natal
oil on your baby’s wrist for a period of 24 hours;
and post natal care) massaging a baby enhances
if there is no reaction, then you can opt for that
the mother’s maternal instinct which in turn
oil.
causes an increase in her milk secretion.
When to start: You can start 10‐15 days after
For Fathers‐
birth. The duration of massage should be 10
Massaging your baby in the evening when your
minutes when the baby is very young and can
baby is cranky and restless gives you an
gradually extend to 20 minutes as he grows
opportunity to bond with the baby and gives the
older.
mother a much needed break. The massage in the
Preparation: Babies don’t like to stay
evening needs to be light is known to soothe the
uncovered for long so make sure you keep
cranky mood, that babies are known to be in‐
everything ready like the massage oil, extra
usually at the end of the day!
towels, fresh clothes etc. Pour oil in an open
It also helps the parents gain confidence in their
vessel to save time. Soften your hand texture by
parenting skills, as their touch and baby’s response
using a moisturizer, remove jewelry from your
gives them instant feedback about their skills.
finger so that it does not irritate the baby. You
How to do it? can also heat the oil a bit, especially in winters
to increase the benefits. Uncover your baby
Oils: The oils that are generally used for massage
only after you are ready with all this.
are edible or plant extract oils like coconut,
sesame or til, mustard, almond and olive. The Time: Choose such a time for the massage,
choice of the oil depends on the season, as til and when your baby is not too tired but is active and
mustard oils are preferred during the winter while receptive or has just had his nap. Also make
coconut oil is preferred in summers. Natural oils sure that the baby is not massaged immediately

51
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
after being fed. Generally we, in India, massage
the baby just before giving them a bath, so that
the excess oil is drained off their bodies. But do
leave a gap of time between massage and the
bath so that the baby isn’t too stimulated! If the
baby is cranky in the evening, a massage will help
calm him down and also put him to sleep.
Pressure: Even though your baby looks very tiny
and fragile, you cannot be way too gentle, as a
massage done with less pressure will serve very
little purpose. To know how much pressure to
apply, close your eyes and press your fingers on
your eyelids until you experience discomfort, this
is the pressure that you need to use. Even if it is
difficult at first to know how much pressure to
apply while massaging, with time and your baby’s
response you will become better at it.
The traditional way of giving the massage is
sitting with legs stretched in front of you and the
baby lying on your legs with his head away from
you. You can also spread a mat on the floor, keep
the baby on its back and start massaging him.
Generally you start from the feet and then
proceed towards the stomach, the torso followed
by the arms, hands and finally his face. After this
you turn the baby over and gently massage the
back and finish by exercising his arms and legs.
Maintain eye contact with the baby while
massaging him. Hum a lullaby and call out its
name, it will reassure and soothe the baby.
‐Feet: According to Reflexology, all organs have
pressure points represented in the sole of the
foot. Thus a massage of the baby’s foot is
important. Start by massaging the baby’s sole
in circular motions and gently stretch each toe.
Use your thumb to rub from the baby’s heel
towards his toe.
‐Legs: Start from the ankle and calves and
continue to stroke upwards towards knees and
thighs.
‐Stomach: Stomach massage is good for
getting rid of gas and helps in improving
movement in babies. Massage the stomach in
circular motions, proceeding in a clockwise
direction as you go.
Another movement is to keep the palm below
the navel and sweep your fingers in an arc on
the stomach from right to left.
To get rid of gas, stroke the baby with your
thumbs. Start from the right side of the groin
move your thumb upwards and then move
them across towards the left side of the groin.
This movement is in line with the movement of
the bowel and hence is effective in expelling
gas.
‐Chest: Use gentle force from the middle of the
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
chest and move your palms outwards as you go.
‐Arms, hands: Starting from the armpits of the
baby, squeeze and gently twist the arms moving
towards the hands. Be careful near the elbows,
massage the top of the hands and roll each finger
between the baby’s thumb and the fingers.
‐Head: The baby’s skull is soft for the first few
months; so you need to be careful while
massaging it. Place your hand on the forehead
and work gently towards the base of the cranium.
Pour some oil on the top of the baby’s head and
gently move your hand in circular motions.
While massaging the face, stroke the eyebrows,
the eyelids, the cheeks and the baby’s nose.
Gently massage his ear lobe too.
‐Back: Turn the baby on his back gently and start
massaging slowly in a circular motion, massage
his head first followed by the neck, arms and legs.
Do not massage the spinal cord; just place your
hand over it for the baby to feel the warmth.
When you want to end the massage, do so by
gently rubbing oil on your hands while talking to
53
the baby and maintaining the contact. If you
end it suddenly, the baby may start crying.
Massages have long been a part of baby rearing
routine in India. Scientific research has just
confirmed what we always knew! There are
innumerable reasons why you must massage
your baby, so do not miss out on this wonderful
tool. Massage provides an opportunity for the
baby and the one who is massaging to
communicate and bond. Hence parents and
grandparents should make full use of it.
Some precautions to take‐
• Do not massage immediately after feeding
or if the baby is not keeping well.
• Exercise caution whilst massaging, around
areas on the baby’s body where there are
rashes, bites or where the baby has been
vaccinated.
• Stop massaging when the baby shows signs
of discomfort.
• Be gentle when massaging his spine and
near the neck.
 Danger signs in Babies

! Lethargy: One sure sign that your baby is

As a first‐time parent, you make sure that your
unwell is when his behavior is totally different
baby is under your constant observation at all
from everyday. If he is listless, cries weakly and
times, and every small you tend to get alarmed by
refuses his feed, he might be suffering from an
something as small as the sound of your baby’s
infection.
burp. We worry incessantly that there might be
! Breathing difficultly: If you notice that your
something wrong with the baby. To this, Dr.
child has a fast rapid breathing movement for
Geetanjali Shah, Pediatrician and co‐ author of the
more than a minute and has a bluish coloration
bestselling book on pregnancy, Garbhasanskar
of his lips, your baby might be ill.
says, “Mothers and fathers have a natural instinct
which tells them if something is wrong with their ! High Fever: Fever generally means that the

baby. It is just that, we don’t recognize it and body is fighting infection. Fever, itself should

hence we are scared often even when there is not be a cause for worry, but you should look for
nothing wrong. a possible cause for the infection. For babies
running a temperature above 100.50 F medical
Danger signs for Newborns:
attention is needed. Dr. Geetanjali says, “Most
! Vomiting: All babies tend to throw up a little milk
newborn babies have fevers because of
after feeding which is normal, but if your child is
dehydration due to taking less feed. In this case,
vomiting excessively and if there is blood in his
Crocin does not help so we tell parents to
vomit, you should consult a pediatrician.
increase the fluids. If the fever does not subside
! Jaundice: All babies have a yellow tinge and mild
jaundice during the initial week after birth due to
the liver having not developed fully. But it is rarely
from the first day itself so notify the doctor if it is
present. To check if your baby is suffering from
jaundice, press the sole of the feet gently and
release. Then observe whether the color that
returns, is pink or yellow.

! Delayed passage of Urine: If your baby has

passed urine less than 6 times in day, it is a danger
sign.

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
then they have to get the baby for examination.”
! Excessive Weight loss: Newborns lose 8‐10% of
their weight in the initial week of their birth. Most
of this weight is gained back in another week. If
the weight loss is more than 10% then it is a
danger sign.
! Blood or mucus in the stool: Blood or mucus in
the stool is a sign of danger. Please consult your
pediatrician immediately in such cases.
Don’t worry if‐
• Your child hasn’t passed stool for a day‐ Dr.
Geetanjali says “Not passing stool is very
common in babies. A baby can pass stools 10
times in a day or once in 5 days. So there is a
wide spectrum and hence parents need not
worry if babies don’t pass stools every day.”
She says that if the baby is gaining weight and
urinating every day then he is normal. If the
baby is very restless then Dr. Geetanjali
55
advises parents to try massaging the
tummy and keeping the baby on her/his
tummy. Consult your doctor if the problem
persists.
• If your baby’s tummy is bloated: Gas
problems in babies especially breastfed
babies are common because they suck lot
of air along with milk. Another reason can
be the diet of the breastfeeding mother
which produces gas. Generally, burping the
baby after feeding them prevents this
problem.
• If the stools seem loose: You might be
hassled if the baby has loose stool but Dr.
Geetanjali says that “there is no reason to
worry if the stool is watery but wrangled
up.” She says that breast fed babies
generally have loose stools. But if there is a
bad odor to the stool accompanied by fever
and abdominal pain, then you should seek
medical attention for your baby.
 Bonding tips for the New
Father

and that you need your rest now, think

The news of your partner’s pregnancy has bought
about the mother. Think how she has a 24/7
insurmountable joy not only to you, but also to
job with, no lunch or even tea breaks for
your family and friends. Everyone is gushing over
that matter plus she hardly gets a day off
the soon‐to‐be mother, pampering her and so on.
from her job i.e caring for your baby. So,
Even the written material found on pregnancies
don’t give those excuses of being tired and
usually talks about the almost sacred bond
help your wife.
between the mother and the baby, about breast
• ‘Why is he crying at night?’‐ Again, you
feeding, impending motherhood and so on. With
have worked hard all day and require a
so much attention being concentrated on the
good night’s sleep to refill your energy
mother, the poor father’s are bound to feel left
reserves for the next day and ‘waaah’ goes
out.
the baby! Now, rather than cribbing about
While some fathers feel left out, others are
the noise, accept that a newborn will cry at
uncomfortable about holding their fragile, new
anytime in the night. Take turns with your
born children in their hands and thus end up
showing very little inclination to help when the
little one cries or is distressed!

The first few months after the baby is born are the
most difficult, and occasionally the mother is
found at the end of her wits, it is in such situations
that a father can step in and take care of the baby,
letting the mother catch her breath.

First, some change of attitude, please!

Don’t say ‐

• ‘I work the whole day, I am tired’‐ When you

feel that your day has been busy and tiring

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wife in soothing him, if he is found to be after a day’s play, you are bound to feel that
crying in the night. you have missed spending time with your

• ‘It can’t be that hard’‐ When your wife tells baby. But all is not lost; when you volunteer

you that it has been a long day, all you need to to massage the baby all by yourself in the

do is listen to her and empathize. If you take evening you will not only spend quality time

this opportunity to criticize her parenting bonding with your baby but also reduce the

techniques, all you will be doing is baby’s irritability and help him fall sleep.

demoralizing her all the more. Try shouldering • Burping: Dr. Geetanjali Shah, Pediatrician
some of her burden. says “Fathers can’t help much with feeding

• ‘I am bad at this’‐ That’s not a nice attitude to part but they can definitely help with

start with! You must embrace parenthood burping.” For burping you need to hold the

with openness and loads of patience. If you baby upright and pat his back gently for

seem to struggle at start, just relax as with about 10 minutes after feeding. Plus, the

time you will learn what works and what mother is often exhausted after the feeding

doesn’t. session which takes about 20‐30 minutes;

help coming from the father’s quarter is
Here are some ways to help Daddy make his
quite valuable in such situations.
mark:
• Bathing: As much as you can help out
• Feeding through the bottle: When it comes
during baby massages, you can also
to feeding the baby through a bottle, you
volunteer to give a daily bath to your baby.
know that both you and your wife stand
New‐born babies needn’t be bathed every
equal ! All you need to do is, hold the baby in
day, as a sponge bath is considered enough.
your arms comfortably and feed him through
An older baby however needs a proper bath
the bottle or use a spoon and bowl to feed the
everyday, which gives another chance for
milk in his mouth gently.
the two of you to bond and have fun
• Baby Massage: When you return from office together. Remember to collect all the
and see that your baby is cranky and tired accessories, check the water temperature

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
and use tear less soap and shampoo for the
bath.
• Going for walks: You come home from work
and instead of seeing your wife’s smiling face
you see an exhausted face staring back at you,
the reason being she’s had a difficult day with
your baby! To help her out you can take the
baby outside (don’t forget the diaper) for
some time and give your spouse some much
needed moments of peace and quiet. Babies
too will like it as they love to look at the
surroundings and imbibe things around them,
remember not to take him to very noisy areas;
a stroll in the park or a round or two in the
locality works just fine.
• Playing: Mommies like to cuddle and hold
the babies while daddies like to be more
playful. They like to throw the babies up in the
air, give their limbs gentle exercise and
support the child on their shoulders and
generally be involved in a more physical play
with the baby, plus babies love this kind of
interaction. Don’t worry, this will not hurt the
child unless you are too rough.
• Changing Diapers: All fathers cringe at the
thought of changing the diaper. Spending
time with the baby sounds fine but once the
bottom’s wet, dads start looking for an exit
strategy, but the process of changing
diapers doesn’t have to be so difficult. You
must maintain eye contact, talk to them,
make silly faces and see this as any other
time to bond with your baby. Changing
diapers will also earn you brownie points
from the spouse!
• Helping out at night: When you find your
baby wailing out loud in the middle of the
night, don’t crib but take hold of the
situation! You and your wife can work up a
system in which you both take turns at
soothing the baby. It provides for a golden
opportunity to be with the baby alone. In
such times, just rocking the baby along with
gentle talking and singing will help calm
your baby down. What’s more, you will also
be able to see the serene face of the baby as
he falls asleep! And the sight of your baby
falling asleep in your arms is something that
no father in the entire world would want to
miss.
• Go skin‐to‐skin: Newborn babies are
comforted by the touch, voice and smell of
the parent. Studies show that just holding
your baby skin to skin against you is enough
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

to stimulate him. When you are trying to get interpersonal relations with others and have
the baby to sleep try doing it on your bare lesser issues trusting others as they grow
chest, this will not only help the baby fall up. Research also shows that daddy’s
asleep quickly but you will love the interaction with the baby is as important as
experience, too. a mother’s interaction with the baby.

Daddies, you are parents too… For the First time anxious father, worried about

• Studies have shown that babies and toddlers, whether he will be able to do anything right;

whose fathers were involved in caring for here is tip‐ go with the flow, be open, and be

them in an active way by playing, talking and spontaneous. Help out your wife and trust us

spending time with them have better and your very own parental instincts, you will
do fine!

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 Baby, Sleep like a Baby…

Night snacks, wet diapers

Remember those very first days in the hospital
After an exhausting day, everyone deserves a
after the delivery‐ Where you would constantly
good night’s sleep. But parents of newborn
wish that your little one would wake up from his
babies do not get it (though they deserve it
deep sleep, so you could spend more time with
more) as babies wake up many times at night ‐
him? But now just a few days after being bought
either because they are hungry or their diapers
back home, you find that he is altering your
are wet. And both of these are good reasons for
sleeping schedule with his own erratic sleeping
a baby to cry. Metabolically, breast fed babies
schedule! He sleeps all day long when you are
need to feed every 2 ‐3 hours, until they are at
feeling fresh and energetic, and prefers to wail out
least 3 months of age, while bottle fed babies
aloud for his feed in the middle of the night, when
need to feed less often ‐ every 4 hours.
all you want to do is sleep. Before you turn into a
zombie due to your lack of sleep, here are some A wet diaper can cause discomfort to the child
tips to understand your baby’s sleeping pattern and could even lead to a diaper rash. A diaper

and help him to sleep better. change just before sleeping and a diaper with a
thicker soft pad may help prevent the
No magic number
discomfort experienced by the baby.
Though an average baby is supposed to sleep for
16 hours a day in the first month, there are a few
babies who only sleep for 12 hours a day, with a lot
of naps during the daytime, while some other
babies sleep for 22 hours a day! This shows that
there is a huge spectrum with no standard for the
number of hours that a baby must sleep. The baby
instinctively sleeps when he should and wakes
when he feels like he’s had enough sleep or for
other reasons like he is hungry or wet.

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Day‐ night mix up
Babies cannot grasp the concept of days and
nights in the early months after their birth; this is
the reason why we find them wide awake at 2 am
in the night and sleepy in the afternoons. Babies
learn to adjust their body’s internal clock in time,
but you can help them to do it‐
• When your baby is napping in the afternoon,
do not make efforts to darken the lights in the
room or keep his surroundings extra quite.
Exposure to the natural day will help your
baby develop ability to discern day and night
early on. If your baby is not in deep sleep, you
can wake your baby by holding him upright,
burping him and even just gently touching his
chin. When he is awake you can stimulate him
by either talking or playing with him.
• However take care not to overdo this as a
baby should not be deprived of his required
sleep quota and a tired baby will sleep less
soundly than a well rested baby.
• At nights, make the atmosphere more sleep
friendly by putting the baby to sleep in a much
quieter atmosphere. You can help him fall
asleep by either singing him a lullaby or by
just rocking him to sleep and keeping the
room dark. Even when the baby wakes up at
night, the interaction should be less and more
61
efforts should be made to put him off back
to sleep.
Always a light sleeper
If you have observed your baby at night, you will
see that he tends to toss and turn and make
sounds and even smile. This is because your
baby spends most of his sleeping time in the
REM or Rapid Eye Movement Sleep when the
brain is active and the baby is actually dreaming.
So don’t worry if your baby just cries softly and
moves around while sleeping.
Danger of SIDS
Babies naturally prefer to be sleeping on their
tummy as it supports their arms and legs and
gives a comfortable feeling like that of being in
the womb, even their tummy feels better when
they lie this way. But research has shown that
babies who sleep on their tummy stand the risk
of becoming prone to Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome or SIDS which is responsible for the
death of many babies without any explainable
medical condition. To make sleeping on the
back easier for the baby, train the baby since the
very beginning. Swaddling – wrapping the baby
in soft material ‐ also contributes towards his
comfort while he is sleeping on his back.
Shh! baby is sleeping…
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

Some parents can go to great lengths to prevent drowsy but not sleepy yet, and can fall asleep all
their baby from waking up from his sleep; they by himself. Remember you need to condition
switch off their mobiles, talk in whispers and your baby in such a way that he learns to fall
create a ‘no sound zone’ around the baby, only to asleep on his own, so that he can fall asleep by
find the noise of a honking car waking up their himself.
baby. Keeping the environment around the baby Letting them cry for a while
very quiet is not recommended, as the baby gets
You cannot always rush to soothe your baby
molded to sleep only in perfect silence which is
whenever he cries at night; your baby has to
difficult to achieve regularly in normal daily life.
learn to soothe himself back to sleep, at some
Also babies are capable of sleeping in normal
point of time. After the baby is 6 months old or
surroundings when the phone rings, people talk
older, you can start weaning him away from all
and vehicles move around, so do not over sensitize
midnight feedings and gradually make the baby
them early on.
fall back asleep on his own.
Sleep routine
Here are the different approaches –
Once your baby is older (about six to seven
• One method is to gradually reduce the
months) and does not need to be fed during the
number of times you go to soothe the baby
nights, you can start a nightly routine that
back to sleep whenever he starts crying.
encourages more sleep and fewer occasions of
Start by reducing the number of times you
waking up at night. Start a nightly routine with a
rush to soothe the baby immediately and in
massage, a bath, changing into nightwear, a night
case you do go to soothe him, remember to
time book reading session, saying ‘good night’
go at least a few minutes after the baby has
followed by lights out. If the baby awakens at
started crying. After a few days, stop going
night, you should soothe him without feeding.
to the baby altogether.
This job can be easily done by the father and your
baby is also not likely to demand feed from him. • You can feed the baby before he sleeps and
then put him to bed awake, yet drowsy.
Put baby to bed awake
Your baby will soothe himself and fall
Another concept that helps the baby to sleep
asleep. Even when the baby wakes up at
better is when the baby is put in the crib or the
night you should soothe him without
cradle while he is still awake. This way the baby is

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picking him up just by rubbing his back, approach you select and stick to it for so that
patting him and talking to him. the method works.

There is no ‘one’ way or method that works for all, All the parents of infants have to live through
you choose whichever method suits you and your sleepless nights early on and as time passes by,
baby to sleep. Another thing to remember is that babies and parents can get into a routine and
you have to be consistent with whichever say ‘Yes’ to a good night’ sleep.

63
 Teething Issues at Hand
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

as the body treats the first tooth as a foreign

Now that your baby has grown up (read‐about
object and reacts accordingly.
five to six months old), caring for him is now
Irritability: Babies appear to be irritable and
easier. He now seems to sleep peacefully through
cranky as the process of teething brings with it,
the night, feeds regularly and has an active social
low intensity but constant pain for the baby.
life (read – wherein he interacts with doting
grandparents and excited relatives while being Biting: Teething brings with it, an urge in

passed on from one set of arms to another).
But when this peace is interrupted with his
crankiness, loud cries in the night, avoidance of
feeds and random chewing (on anything he can
get his hands on), it is time to know that your baby
babies, to keep chewing onto something. This is
because the counter pressure that chewing
brings, helps in relieving the pain under the
gums.
Refusal to feed: When babies are teething, they

has begun teething. Teething generally begins usually refuse feed, as feeding creates a suction

around the fifth or the sixth month and brings that worsens the pain associated with teething.

along with it, issues of its own. This is the reason your baby will want to feed
one instant and refuse feed, the other instant.
The ‘Tooth Fairy’ often brings along with it, loose
motions, fever, irritability and pain for a baby. But Diarrhea: Though there is no scientific backing

some babies are lucky enough, to not have any

problems with teething at all.

Mentioned below, are the symptoms associated

with teething in babies ‐

Drooling: Teething stimulates drooling, so there

is also saliva dripping out of your baby’s mouth.

Face rash: Due to constant contact with saliva, the

skin near the mouth becomes dry, thereby leading
to the appearance of rashes on the face.

Pain: There is inflammation seen over the gums,

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
to teething causing diarrhea, there are instances
of babies suffering from loose motions during this
period.
Low fever: Though fever is not directly linked with
teething, some babies are seen suffering from
fever during their teething days. At such times,
parents must treat it as they would treat a low
grade fever unless the fever lasts for more than
three days.
Here is what parents can do to help their baby
get over the teething phase smoothly,
Chew this: Babies try to get their gums on
anything and everything they can that includes
remotes, table edges and even your finger as the
counter pressure such chewing brings relieves
their discomfort. But, most of these places the
baby bites on aren’t amongst the most hygienic
and safe places for your baby as they harbor
plenty of germs.
Instead, you can give your baby a teething ring
that is commonly available, or a carrot with its
narrow end chopped off, so that the narrowsharp
end does not hurt the insides of the baby’s mouth
or an ice cube or pieces of fruits wrapped inside a
clean soft cloth.
Rub their gums: Your baby will be cranky and
65
under pain when he undergoes the process of
teething. To relieve his pain, run your fingers
over his gums. This gentle rubbing would create
a counter pressure and would relieve some of his
pain.
Offer a Cold drink: Here we mean something
cold to drink and not a soft drink! The cool
sensation of a liquid will help in soothing your
baby’s gums. Also, it will take care of his fluid
intake.
Cool options: Once you have introduced your
baby to solid foods, you can offer him cold foods
that will soothe his gums like cool apple puree,
cold yoghurt or cool soft fruit pieces.
Take care of other symptoms: Loose stools and
mild fever often occur during the process
teething in babies and can be ignored for a
while. But if loose motions last for 2 bowel
movements and if the fever is higher than 101.50
F, then there may be reason for concern.
Teething remains a problem, only till the time of
the arrival of your baby’s first tooth. After that
the baby’s body gets accustomed to the
sensation. So if the teething process seems
difficult to you, have patience, soon it will be
over and your baby will give you a sparkling
tooth smile!
 Foods for your Baby

Breast milk provides all the nutrition required by your Pediatrician.

your baby and Formula milk provides almost all Here are the early foods to offer your baby:

the nutrition needed until your baby turns 4‐6 4‐6 Rice cereal, (oat cereal if
months old. After this, you may begin to months rice doesn’t suit the baby)
6 Apple puree, Bananas,
introduce him to solid foods. The strategy is ‘be
months Pears, Peas, Carrots,
prepared and be slow’. Be prepared for the spills Squash and Other cereals
and meltdowns on the table and be slow, so that 7‐8 Chicken, Egg, Fish (only if
months parents are non vegetarian)
he can digest all that you feed him. Now that he 9 Yogurt, Beans, cheese
has started with the intake of solid foods, don’t go months
overboard by introducing him to a buffet!

Though, in India it is believed that starting foods ‘First Food’ Options

when the baby reaches the age of 4 months is
okay, there is a strong opinion against it by WHO,
as well as by UNICEF, both of which say that
infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first
six months to be able to reach optimal growth and
development. After six months, an infant is
physiologically and developmentally ready for
new foods, textures and modes of feeding.
Rice: In the past, rice had always been
considered as the ideal first food option for
babies because it is gluten free, easy to digest,
comes in a fine consistency, has fewer chances
of allergic reactions, keeps the baby with a

If you are thinking of starting solids before your

baby turns six months old, it is advisable to consult

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
feeling of fullness and aids sleep.
Today however, there are different opinions as to
whether rice should or should not be concerned as
a baby’s first food option with increasing cases of
babies reacting unfavorably to rice, as a result
there are other options that are being considered
now‐
Fruits: Solid foods for many babies start with
mashed sweet fruits, like, finely mashed bananas
or apple puree. However many experts are of the
opinion that starting a baby’s intake of solid foods
with sweet options, makes him reject non
sweetened foods like vegetables and cereals.
Here are some guidelines you must keep in
mind, before you feed your baby:
• Always consult a doctor before introducing
new food items to your baby.
• Check if your baby is ready for solid foods, if
he is able to sit upright, if he shows interest in
food, and if the tongue thrust reflex (when
solid food put into the mouth is thrown back
by the tongue) has gone?
• Once you offer a new food to your baby wait
for at least 3 days before introducing new
food item. This way you can check for possible
food allergies.
• Remember to offer foods that are
smoothened in texture by pureeing or
67
thinning. Offer foods at room temperature
or slightly warmer.
• When feeding your baby, make sure he is
awake and hungry but not starving. You can
feed him a little formula or breast milk
before starting other foods.
• When you are feeding solids to your baby
for the first time, make the texture of the
food very smooth and try feeding only a few
teaspoons till your baby gets the hang of
eating solids.
Foods to avoid for the first Year:
• Honey‐ Honey is known to contain spores
of a particular breed of bacteria that are
known to cause health problems in babies
less than a year old.
• Citrus foods‐ These are highly acidic and
can cause diaper rash in babies in their first
year.
• Egg white– Egg whites are known to cause
allergic reactions in babies if given early on.
• Cow’s milk (For some babies) ‐ Some
babies cannot digest cow’s milk well. If you
find your baby having diarrhea and an upset
stomach, keep him off cow’s milk for some
time and consult your doctor, who may
suggest alternatives.
Here are some recipes you can use to prepare
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

Baby Foods: (For 6‐8 month old babies) After removing the skin and seeds, boil the

Mashed banana vegetables in just little water (to preserve the

vitamins), then push the boiled food through a
Mash a banana and soften it by mixing it with
sieve or a tea filter or blend it in a blender.
breast milk or formula milk to tender it. You can
When your baby has just started solids, make a
also later offer your baby mashed banana without
paste having a smooth consistency by adding a
mixing it with milk. Other seasonal fruits like
little water or breast milk or formula milk and as
chickoos, papayas, and mangoes can also be
he becomes more accustomed to solids, make
simply be mashed and offered to baby. Papaya is
the consistency thicker.
known to help relieve constipation in babies.
Pumpkin
Apple puree
Pumpkin is high in nutrients like Vitamin A, beta
Cut an apple into pieces, remove the seeds and
carotene, iron and potassium. Pumpkin is also a
the bark and boil in adequate water. Let the liquid
good source of fiber and is low on fats. All of
cool and mash the apple with a blender or with
this makes Pumpkin nutritious for babies.
hands. Initially start with half an apple and then try
Remember: Never over boil pumpkin, lest it
the entire piece.
loses all its nutrients.
Strained water
Some Indian recipes for your baby:
In order to provide your baby with the vitamins
and nutrients that are lost during the process of (Remember‐ Do not unnecessarily add salt and

preparation of food, care must be taken to not sugar to your baby’s foods. Jaggery is

discard the excess water that remains after boiling preferred than sugar to be added in kheer and

vegetables and fruits and after cooking dal. It is sheera but adding salt should be avoided. Your

advisable to feed this water to your baby or to use baby gets enough sodium from vegetables.)

it for thinning the consistency of the vegetables Nachni Kheer

and cereals that you feed your baby. Finger Millet or Nachni cereal is easily available
Puree of veggies in Indian market and is a well‐known baby food.

Puree of vegetables including, broccoli, green Nachni is a great source of protein and is also

peas, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot and rich in calcium and iron as compared to other

cauliflower can be given as early foods to babies. cereals. Also, because of its high nutritional

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
value, nachni kheer is the first food which is given
to a baby after 6 months.
Both Nachni cereal and nachni flour are easily
available in any Indian kitchen. Take a few nachni
cereals and roast them on low flame, then grind
them in a grinder to make fine flour. You can keep
this flour in stock, as it has a very long shelf life.
For one bowl of kheer: Take 2 to 3 tablespoons of
nachni flour. Boil water for 5 minutes and then add
this flour to the water and stir continuously.
Stirring continuously is very important so that
clots don’t get formed. Once the mixture turns
semi solid, add little milk, 1 teaspoon of ghee, a
pinch of salt and little jaggery to give it a sweet
taste. Cool it for 5 minutes and your healthy
nachni kheer is ready for your baby’s
consumption.
It is advisable to start with a small quantity. Don’t
expect your kid to finish it in one go. Nachni kheer
is filling and hence keeps the baby satiated for a
very long time.
Moong Dal and Rice Phej
Both, Moong dal and rice are also very easy to find
in the Indian kitchen. To make Moong Dal and
Rice Phej, you need to roast moong dal and rice on
a pan and then grind them together to make a fine
powder. The ratio for preparing the mixture is, half
cup of moong dal to one cup of rice. You can
prepare this flour and keep it for days together
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and use it whenever needed.
For one bowl: Boil water and add 2 to 3
tablespoons of moong dal and rice powder to it.
Stir well, and then remove from the flame, let it
cool down to room temperature and serve. Rice
is a great source of carbohydrates and moong
dal is very nutritious and easy to digest. This
makes Moong dal and Rice Phej, the best food
for growing babies.
Suji Kheer
Suji kheer is an excellent combination of fats,
carbohydrates and protein – all of which are
necessary for your baby’s growth. Suji Kheer is
quick to prepare and at the same time, it is
healthy for your baby.
To make one bowl of suji kheer, take 2 to 3
tablespoons of suji and roast it in ghee. Soon the
colour of the roasted suji will change to
brownish red. Then add milk and sugar to it, to
make it into a thick paste.
Dalia
Dalia or broken wheat is a healthy food option
for babies as it is made from whole wheat. Also,
as it is easy to digest and quick to prepare, Dalia
can be a regular part of your baby’s diet.
Start with equal quantities of wheat Dalia and
lentil. Add Dalia to boiling water and cook it for
some time until it is half‐cooked. Then add
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
lentil to it, until both are well‐cooked. You can
add a pinch of salt and ghee to taste. You can also
cook it with vegetables like potatoes, onions, peas
and any other green vegetables.
Non vegetarian options
A month after your baby has started the intake of
solids; you can introduce him to non vegetarian
food. You can start with soups and stews of
chicken. You can also blend boiled chicken with
other vegetables and spices, to add taste. When
offering an egg to your baby, remember to give
only the yolk and not the egg white for at least a
year.
Packaged Baby Food
In the early days of weaning, when you remain
busy dishing out a variety of food options for your
baby and he in turn remains busy rejecting your
offers, there is every chance that you might feel
like giving up on your efforts and buying packaged
foods to feed him.
Here is all you need to know about packaged baby
foods,
• Packaged foods are convenient, time saving
options compared to homemade foods.
• Now‐a‐days packaged foods do not contain
any added salt, sugar or fillers. (Please check
the cover of the packet to confirm)
• Packaged foods can be stored at home and
thus, the quantity wasted is less.
• The strained variety of packaged baby
foods has a smooth texture which suits a
baby who has newly been introduced to
packaged baby foods.
The Problem:
Your baby gets so used to packaged foods that
he no longer accepts the homemade variety
which, in comparison to packaged food, is not
perfectly textured.
Here is what parents can do,
• When buying packaged baby food, check
the pack for the specified age of babies who
can consume the contents.
• Many parents start their baby’s initiation
into solids, through packaged foods
supplemented by homemade foods. And
when babies get used to eating thick
textured foods, parents offer them only
homemade food gradually tapering off
packaged food.
• You can keep packaged baby food as an
option to homemade food, only when you
and your baby are travelling or when you
both are away from home or when there is a
sense of emergency and you do not have
time to prepare your baby’s food at home.
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 Travelling with your Baby

becomes difficult to carry.

You realize that parenting is a full time job quite
literally when you find it impossible to do the
things you did earlier without a second thought.
These things include, having lunch in a restaurant,
catching up for a movie with friends in a nearby
theatre, talking on the phone without a thousand
thoughts running in your head et al. But now, even
something as mundane as going to the bathroom,
needs to be coordinated with your baby’s nap
timings.
Even with your life turned upside down, you have
to do the things you always did, like travelling.
Also look for a bag made of moisture resistant
material like nylon or vinyl with compartments
to keep dirty diapers away from the bottle and
the food. Remember to keep the bag well
stocked with fresh stuff in case of last minute
travels.
These are the things that you need to carry:
Diapers: A baby with a soiled nappy tends to get
cranky and irritable, which in turn spoils your
outing. So, always keep a bunch of extra diapers
handy with you. Never underestimate the

This article makes sure that your travel with the number of diapers your baby will need and

baby remains smooth and safe. always carry extra.

If you are to travel with your baby, make sure you Diaper changing mat‐ You must carry a cloth, a

plan the trip well as your baby’s comfort and

happiness take a priority over everything else,
right?

For a short trip‐

Changing bag: Now what should a changing bag
contain?

If your baby is bottle feeding, you need a separate

insulated bottle holding area. You will also need to
consider the size and carrying comfort. The size
should be big enough to carry more than one
nappy and a bottle, but not too big that it

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
towel or a waterproof pad to provide for a clean,
safe surface to change your baby’s diapers.
Baby wipes: These are tissues which you can use
to wipe your baby’s bottom when changing his
diapers and to wipe your hand after you have
changed his diaper.
Plastic bags or Zip lock bags: Carry plastic bags
or zip locks, which can serve as dumping bags for
dirty diapers and soiled clothes.
Formula: If you are going to be away till your
baby’s next feed, carry along a bottle of water in
which you mix the powdered formula. And
remember, Formula prepared at home should be
kept in an insulated container.
Baby’s shoulder cloth ‐ Babies like to feed but
also tend to spit out the last meal. Hence, it is
always better to carry along a cloth to be draped
on to prevent smelly shoulders and messy dresses.
Change of Clothes‐ You would need to keep
changing your baby’s clothes in case your baby’s
brand new clothes get spoilt due to baby poop,
baby spit or even due to the solid foods he has
been newly introduced to.
Snack for your baby‐ If your baby has been
introduced to solids, you can carry a snack along
for him. Carry something that needs neither
refrigeration nor heating. Remember to also carry
along a spoon, a bib to tie around the baby’s neck
and tissues to clean up the mess! Also keep the
finger foods like fruits and biscuits ready, to
keep your baby occupied and fed during the
journey.
Snack for you‐ While you take care of your
baby’s needs, remember to take care of your
own health too. If you are a breast feeding
mother, you need to carry something nutritious
to keep up your energy levels. Fruits, whole
wheat biscuits, cakes and nuts work well in such
cases.
Now you know why mothers carrying their little
ones, have big bags!
For a longer trip
Along with the things mentioned above, you
also need to carry the ones mentioned below,
Extra layer of clothing‐ Carry an extra layer of
clothing for your baby, when away from home.
This helps in preventing your baby from cold
and fever.
Toys‐ When there is a long journey involved,
you should have entertainment planned
because you don’t want a cranky baby while
travelling. So take along his favorite toys,
favorite blanket, maybe a favorite audio – video
CD he loves as well as the book he loves being
read to.
Sunscreen‐ Not only does your child need
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
protection from cold, but also from the sun. Do
carry along light cotton clothing and hats to cover
him from sun, and apply sunscreen to his body, to
prevent him from sunburns.
Medical kit‐ Travelling involves the chances of
sickness and accidents. Keep the baby’s medical
kit ready with medicines for cold, fever, loose
motions etc. Learn about the basic first aid kit
meant for kids, before you start your journey.
Pacifier‐ Keeping your baby happy means keeping
his pacifier close to him; even though you think it
is high time he learns to sleep without the pacifier.
In a place and surroundings that are alien, the
familiar pacifier can reassure the baby, so let him
have it.
Baby care products ‐ Carry along, the oils, baby
creams, diapers, soaps, shampoos and diaper rash
cream along with many sets of clothes.
Some tips‐
Time it well
In order to have a smooth journey with your baby
onboard, time your journey as per your baby’s
schedule. And take into account various factors
like, modes of transport, the time taken for the
journey etc. If it will be a long journey, time it
according to your baby’s nap timings.
Take medical precautions
Before planning to go on a long journey with your
baby, talk to a doctor and let him examine your
73
baby’s health. If he okays the trip, ask for some
medicines for common cold and cough that are
recommended for babies. You must also be
aware of the temperature at the place you are
heading to, as you would need to pack your
baby’s bag accordingly.
Follow the routine
Do not change your baby’s routine much before
you start your journey. This includes, not
shifting from breastfeeding to bottles or
weaning the child before the journey begins. Let
your baby continue with his normal routine so as
to feel secure when in unfamiliar surroundings .
Modes of travel
Be it the car, plane or train travel; look for
options to keep your baby happy. Here are
some tips‐
Car travel: Before you decide to go on a trip in a
car with your baby, invest in an infant seat in
your car. The infant seat makes sure that the
baby remains safe and secure during the
journey. This way the mother is less hassled.
Remember to adjust the belts according to the
size of your baby and make sure he is
comfortable. If your baby is soothed by a
particular song, bring the CD along to help him
calm down when he cries.
Take frequent breaks (about every 2 hours) and
let your baby out, so that he gets fresh air. Drive
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
slower than the usual speed and take care around
bad roads and avoid sudden jerks, as these can
startle the baby, leading him into a crying fit.
Air travel: Babies below 2 years of age do not
require a separate ticket but you can still opt for
one, if having your baby constantly on your lap
proves to be uncomfortable. Moreover, a separate
seat for your baby will give you enough space to
be able to change his diapers, feed him and allow
him to move around. If opting for a single seat, opt
for one near the engine so that the noise of your
baby’s cries, does not disturb the other passengers
and the aisle seat so that you can move easily if
you need to, without disturbing your neighboring
passenger. Cover your baby’s ears with soft cotton
when the plane takes off as the pressure change
can affect his ear drums.
Bus Travel: Not a comfortable ride for you and
your baby. Your baby may not like to be held in
one position for long and may soon get bored.
Also, the seats in a bus are positioned closer,
allowing very little leg space and room for
movement for your baby. Unless you have a
window seat, the journey in the bus may be a long,
arduous one, for both, you as well as your baby.
A bus journey, unless taken at night, generally
means a hot and sweaty journey. So dress your
baby in loose cottons and use a wet cloth to
keep his temperature down. It is advisable to
take the baby by bus only if it is a night journey.
Train Travel: Travelling in the train is better
than travelling in the car or in the bus, given the
benefits of a smooth ride and space available in
the train. But the chances of your baby taking in
dirt and grime is more in the train, especially if
he touches the window grill or the seat covers
etc. So make sure you frequently clean his hands
and keep an eye on what goes into his mouth.
If you are travelling in sleeper class, the upper
berth should be ruled out due to the chance of
the baby falling down, when he turns or moves.
Opt for a lower berth and spread a clean sheet
on the seat on which you are seated. Let your
baby lie on the sheet. Create a barrier with
pillows, so that he does not fall. Keep him
covered, so that he remains protected from the
cold wind outside. Keep the windows shut and
swaddle your baby.
Travelling with a baby may not seem to be an
easy task, but it is not an impossible task either.
All you need to do is to plan ahead and keep
your cool.
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 Solving the Vaccination
Woes

Vaccines for your baby

The very idea of someone jabbing a needle in
Certain vaccines, which can prevent your baby
your baby’s delicate arm, is enough to give many
from falling prey to serious ailments later on in
parents nightmares! Now add to this idea, your
life, are mandatory. These vaccines must be
baby’s inconsolable crying and subsequent fever
administered when your baby reaches a certain
and suddenly you’ll realize why many parents
age, so that the vaccine is most effective.
don’t look forward to vaccinations for their babies.
Government of India has made it mandatory for
While vaccinations are vital for protecting your
parents to get their babies vaccinated against
baby against harmful diseases and for keeping him
various serious ailments including Diphtheria,
healthy and fit, many parents lose their keenness
Polio , Tuberculosis etc.
on getting their baby vaccinated after hearing
The names of essential vaccinations and the
stories of serious illnesses following vaccinations!
diseases, for which they are administered to
This is why it is very important for you to be aware
babies, are given below:
of the correct precautions to be taken before and
Government of India has made it mandatory for
after the vaccination of your baby.
parents to give vaccinations like DPT for
Why Vaccinations?
Diphtheria, Pertussis (whooping cough)
Vaccination functions on a basic, general premise
mentally for dealing with your baby’s cries and
that, if a person suffers from a particular disease
his body produces antibodies which fight that
disease, thereby making his system immune to
that particular disease for his entire life.
During vaccination, a person’s body is injected
with weakened or dead disease spreading
microorganisms which are harmless to his body.
His body then reacts to the injection by producing
antibodies that fight the disease and strengthen
his immunity against that disease. This way, in his
entire life, the person never suffers from that
particular disease for which he has received the
vaccine.

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

Vaccination Schedule
Age of the child Government Schedule IAP Schedule
At Birth
BCG(Against Tuberculosis) BCG,
OPV (Against Polio) This dose of
vaccine at birth is called the zero OPV
dose. HB (Against hepatitis B)

6 weeks OPV (first dose) OPV (first dose)

DPT (Triple vaccine against DPT (first dose)

Diphtheria, Pertussis and Teta‐
nus) HB (2nd dose)

10 weeks OPV ( second dose)

OPV (second dose)
DPT (second dose)
DPT(second Dose)

14 weeks OPV (third dose) OPV (third dose)

DPT (third does) DPT (third dose)

6‐9 months ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ HB ( third dose)

9 months Measles Measles

15‐18 months OPV (fourth dose) OPV (fourth dose)

DPT (fourth dose) DPT (fourth dose)

MMR (vaccine against Measles,

Mumps and German Measles
(rubella)
5 years DT (fifth dose) (only for diphthe‐ OPV (fifth dose)
ria and tetanus)
DPT (fifth dose)
10 years TT (against tetanus) TT

HB
16 years TT TT

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Tetanus, BCG for Tuberculosis, OPV for Polio.
Along with these vaccines, Indian Academy of
Pediatricians has updated the list by including
HBV vaccine for Hepatitis B and MMR vaccine for
Measles, Mumps and Rubella or German measles.
As a new mother of an infant, you will be provided
with a vaccine schedule after being discharged
from the hospital post delivery. You may also refer
to the chart given below indicating the schedule to
be followed for vaccination of your baby.
Some tips for your Vaccination trip:
• Prepare yourself mentally for dealing with
your baby’s cries and also take along his
favorite toy for distracting his attention from
the jab of a needle.
• You will have to hold your baby in your arms
to get the vaccine administered onto him. If
you aren’t comfortable seeing your baby cry,
ask your spouse or relative to accompany you
so that either of them can hold your baby
while the vaccine gets administered.
• Vaccinations are generally given by a
registered Pediatrician, but you can also take
your baby to a government hospital for
vaccinating him.
• Inform the medical professional who is to
administer the vaccine, about any fever or
illness baby may have at that time because
77
sometimes vaccines are not administered if
the baby is unwell.
• Inform your Pediatrician about any sort of
allergy your baby may have especially egg
allergy.
• Also, inform the medical professional if your
baby suffers from fits and seizures.
• Check the expiry date of the vaccine
before it is administered, as expired
vaccines can be harmful for your baby
Side effects of Vaccination:
• Generally children develop slight fever after
vaccinations and pediatricians prescribe
half a teaspoon Paracetemol to treat the
fever.
• After a measles injection there are chances
of rashes appearing on your baby’s skin, but
this is normal.
• If your baby experiences allergic reactions,
high fever and loss of consciousness after
getting vaccinated you should consult a
doctor.
Some common myths about Vaccines:
Vaccines themselves cause many ailments
All vaccines are thoroughly tested before being
introduced for administration. There are very
few known side effects of vaccines and these are
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
easily overshadowed by the kind of protection
vaccines offer against serious ailments like
meningitis, diphtheria and whooping cough, all
of which can be fatal for kids.
My baby is well protected, and so he doesn’t
need to be vaccinated
Germs are present everywhere ‐ water, air, soil ‐
and many children as well as adults are known
to carry them. You may feel that you can protect
your child against germs but unless he is
vaccinated, there is no guarantee that he will
not fall prey to serious ailments.
One vaccine in a series gives the baby enough
protection
Researchers have found that skipping vaccines
puts your child under a risk of contracting
diseases. Hence, if a series of injections have
been recommended for your baby, make sure he
receives the complete course.
If your baby misses even one shot of a
particular vaccine, it’s pointless vaccinating
the next time
This is not true. Even though it is recommended,
that you follow the given schedule, your baby
can be vaccinated, even though he has missed
one shot. It is important that your baby gets the
shot, albeit late, than not get it at all. Go to your
doctor at the earliest and inform him about the
vaccine your baby missed.
When you compare the pain vaccination brings
to your baby, as against the benefits it provides,
you will realize the importance of that jab in
your baby’s arm. So the next time when you
hear rumors pertaining to vaccination, you know
what to do with those‐ Ignore the rumors and
get your child vaccinated for sure!
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 Dealing with Common
Illnesses of the Baby

80‐90% of the time, fever in newborns gets

Every time your precious little angel has a cold or
cured without the help of medications, hence
a nasal congestion, you don’t have to switch to
don’t rush your baby to the doctor each time he
panic mode and rush him to the doctor! You can
has fever. Also, doctors don’t recommend
easily reduce the number of medications
applying cold pads to the baby unless the fever
prescribed to your baby by replacing them with
is higher than 1020 F.
some equally effective home remedies. Dr. Sudhir
What you can do:
Sane, Pediatrician, however, says “A baby less
than 3 months old should not normally suffer from Keep baby cool‐ When your baby has fever

any disease, but if you find that he is not well, do rather than bundling him up in blankets, it is

not try the home remedies as he is still too young advisable to remove the extra layers of cloth to

to be fed anything other than breast milk.” cool down his body temperature. Unless his
body loses his body heat it can lead to
Mentioned below are some of the possible health
overheating and heatstroke. To ensure that the
problems your baby may suffer from and the ways
in which you can provide treatment

Fever
Whenever your mother would touch your
forehead and find it hot, she would get worried
and would ask you to strictly lie on the bed, eat
nothing but boring soups and curd rice. Similar
feelings occupy your mind when you find your
baby suffering from fever.

Contrary to popular perception, the occurrence of

fever in your baby is in fact, a sign showing that his
body is fighting against infections, rather than
being a victim to the bad viruses

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
baby loses body heat, switch on the fan or the AC
in the room your baby sleeps, but it is advisable to
keep your baby out of the direct air flow.
Increase fluid intakes– Older babies that are
weaned must be given juices along with oral
dehydration fluids, clear soups etc, while younger
babies, must be breast fed regularly so that they
get their daily quota of fluids.
Medication to reduce Fever‐ For babies less than
2‐6 months of age, having fever of 100.20 or more
(102.60 for babies older than 6 months) you can
give paracetamol drops or medications as
prescribed by your doctor. If the temperature still
does not drop, contact your pediatrician.
Sponging‐ Sponge your baby only if the
temperature does not drop even after an hour of
administering the medication. Use lukewarm
water for sponging the baby. Take 3 cloths for
sponging and spread out a waterproof material on
the ground. Cover your baby with a towel and then
alternately dip two cloths into water and place
them on his forehead and keep the third cloth for
rubbing over the baby’s neck, face, stomach,
under arms and groin. Continue to do this for 20
minutes to 1 hour until the temperature drops.
Call the doctor if,
• A baby less than 2 months old has fever over
100.20 and if a baby more than 2 months of
age is having fever of more than 102.60F.
• The baby is having difficulty breathing
• The baby is crying inconsolably and for
long.
• The baby is having fever after being in the
sun (this can point to sunstroke)
• The baby exhibits signs of dehydration
• The baby is cranky, lethargic, sleepy and
sensitive to light unlike his normal happy‐go
‐lucky self
Common cold
Common cold is one of the most common
ailment babies suffer from. The main reason for
this is that their bodies are still in the developing
stage and the immunities are not completely
formed.
Symptoms: Runny nose, sneezing, nasal
congestion and sometime dry cough, fever,
itchy throat, fatigue and loss of appetite.
Duration: Common cold Generally lasts for 3‐10
days but may last longer in babies.
What you can do:
• For nasal congestion, instill saline drops
that are available as OTC drugs into the
baby’s nostrils so that the hard mucus
softens, and it can drip out of the nose or
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
can be swallowed by the baby which later
comes out with stool.
• You need to moisten the air in the room to
help your baby who is suffering from cold,
breathe easier. Keep a steam vaporizer open
in the room or keep a hot bowl of water open
in the room, but keep it out of the baby’s
reach.
• Make the baby sleep with an elevation
provided by a pillow kept under the mattress
as it helps to make breathing easy for the
baby.
• Applying Vaseline under the nose can help in
reducing the redness caused due to your
constant wiping of your baby’s nose but make
sure that the baby does not inhale the
vaseline.
• Do not give cough drops or any antibiotics to
your baby unless the doctor recommends.
• Increase your baby’s intake of fluids, so as to
compensate for the fluids that are lost
because of a runny nose and breathing
through the mouth.
• Colds generally pass on through the hands
hence parents should take proper care to
wash hands properly before they touch the
baby.
81
Call the doctor if,
The cold is accompanied with a fever of more
than 101.40 F and if the fever lasts for more than
2 days. Also, if dry cough interferes with the
baby’s sleep. The general rule is, as Dr. Sane
explains, “if the baby seems lethargic and weak
or, if he seems more cranky than usual and if the
baby is unlike his normal self then call the
doctor, otherwise if the baby is playful, you can
treat him at home.”
Constipation
The problem of constipation is mostly seen in
bottle fed babies than breast fed babies. The
reason being, movements of formula milk are
generally hard and difficult to expel.
Symptoms: Infrequent bowel movements with
stools that are hard to pass, blood in the stool,
irritability and gastric distress.
Causes: Illness, lack of fiber in the diet, a slow
digestive system, insufficient activity in the anal
fissure.
Duration: Can be chronic or can be an
occasional occurrence.
What you can do:
• Exercise the baby by moving his legs and
hands in a cyclic manner.
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
• For babies who have started the intake of
solids, increase the consumption of fruits and
vegetables, while that of dairy products,
should be reduced.
Call the doctor if: There are frequent constipation
bouts or if there is a presence of blood in the stool.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is another problem seen mostly in bottle
fed babies and to a lesser extent in breast fed
babies. This is because breast milk has a substance
that kills the organisms that cause diarrhea.
Symptoms: Liquidy stools, runny stools, mucus in
stool, blood in the stool, vomiting, increased
volume and frequency of the stools.
Causes: Infection, teething, consumption of too
many fruits, sensitivity to a particular food item in
the diet, antibiotics.
Duration: From few hours to some days.
What you can do:
• Continue with either breast milk or formula
milk as before but if the problem persists,
then it may be due to temporary intolerance
of milk, hence a better option would be to
switch to soy milk. Do consult the doctor
before switching your options.
• Increase fluid intake to compensate for the
lost fluids and give your baby 60 ml of fluids
every hour.
• Continue feeding older babies solid foods
like mashed bananas, rice porridge and
potatoes.
• If the baby is vomiting, stop all solids until
vomiting stops. Till that time, give clear
fluids including oral rehydration fluids or
juices.
• Reduce the intake of dairy products, other
than bottle fed milk and breast milk, until
diarrhea is controlled.
Ear‐ache
Babies often fall prey to infections of the ear.
Here are a few ways in which parents can deal
with the problem.
Symptoms: Pain in the ear that worsens at
night, baby pulling and rubbing his ears, crying
when sucking on breasts, slight fever, fatigue,
runny nose and congestion, sometimes nausea
and vomiting.
Cause: Infection and even allergy.
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

Duration: Few days. Usually regular ear infection or the food pipe in the throat. In babies the
cases get cured within a week’s time. muscles that close the opening which keeps the

What you can do: food from entering in the esophagus, do not
work well. The food then reaches the esophagus
• Consult the doctor as ear infections need
where its acidic content irritates the lining of the
antibiotics and treating ear infections at home
esophagus, prompting the ‘spitting up’ of food.
is not recommended.
When could GER occur: From the time the
• You need to watch your baby and look for
baby is 2 weeks old and stays till the baby
symptoms of ear‐ache.
becomes one or two years old.
• When it becomes necessary to administer
What can you do:
antibiotics to your baby, complete the full
• GER generally does not require treatments
prescribed dose for 5 ‐10 days so that the
through medication, there are alternate
infection does not occur again.
ways to reduce the impact.
• To give the baby temporary relief from pain,
• Breastfeed the baby in small quantities at
hold a warm compress or a heating pad or a
regular intervals and don’t overfeed.
bottle filled with warm water close to his ears.
• Avoid feeding acidic and fatty foods to the
Gastro esophageal Reflux (GER)
baby, as these are difficult to digest.
GER is a common problem occurring in more than
• Once the baby is in a position to consume
half of the babies when they are less than 3
solid foods, feed him with foods that have a
months of age. GER is also the cause behind the
thicker consistency as these are less likely
‘spit ups’ that occurs in babies less than a year old.
to be thrown up.
Symptoms: Excessive spitting or vomiting,
• Medications that neutralize the stomach’s
extremely forceful vomiting, erratic feeding
acidic content can be helpful to the baby.
pattern, slow weight gain, poor sleep habits,
Give only if prescribed by the doctor.
excessive drooling, choking and frequent burping.
Ways to prevent GER:
Cause: GER occurs in babies, when partially
digested food is thrown back into the esophagus • Breast milk helps to prevent GER as it is
easy to digest, and keeps the acid level in

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the stomach low. • UTI cannot be completely cured by home

• When you are breastfeeding, avoid the intake remedies. It does require doctor’s

of caffeine in your diet. consultation especially, when the baby

suffers from an unexplained fever.
• Burp your baby frequently.
• The doctor will prescribe antibiotics for
• Keep the baby in an upright position for 2‐3
treating the infection. Increasing the baby’s
hours, after he has been fed.
fluid intake will also help in treating the
• Pacifier helps in preventing GER, so let the
infection.
baby have it, after he has been fed.
• The best way to treat the UTI infection is to
• Don’t jostle the baby and don’t bathe him
prevent it from occurring in the first place!
immediately after he has been fed.
Here are some ways to prevent UTI from
Urinary Tract infection attacking your baby,

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are caused by an • When changing a nappy, clean your baby

infection that occurs in the urinary tract of from front to back.

kidneys, ureters, bladders and urethra of the baby. • Make sure the baby consumes enough
Generally, an unexplained fever is the only fluids to wash out unwanted bacteria.
symptom of UTI. UTI can cause serious damage in
• Avoid bubble baths and perfumed soaps
children less than 2 years of age, hence proper
that irritate the genitals, especially in baby
diagnosis and treatment are essential.
girls.
Symptoms: Unexplained fever, crying, irritability,
You can try these home remedies when the
stomach or back pain, cloudy urine, frequent
symptoms are minor and the baby otherwise
urination, vomiting and diarrhea.
seems well; however if the condition prolongs or
Cause: UTI happens when bacteria begin to grow worsens then consult your doctor immediately.
in the baby’s urinary tract.

What you can do:

84
 Stimulating the Baby

immediate surroundings, and cannot

As a parent, wouldn’t you want your child to be
differentiate between colors either.
gifted with many talents and qualities? Who
Babies can identify with a human face more
doesn’t want a kid as smart as Einstein, who can
easily, than they can relate to cartoons and
speak 5 languages, is mathematically gifted and
colors. About 15 days after his birth your baby
who can sing? If you want your kid to as be as
will be able to identify the outline of your face.
talented use the early months to stimulate his
Even just‐born babies love to see any design
mind‐ show him pictures, talk to him, play with
that is similar to a human face. Hence, it is
him; babies can understand more than we give
advisable to stimulate your baby’s senses by
them credit for.
sticking pictures of human faces near his crib or
Your baby is constantly in the process of learning.
cradle.
Even at times when he may seem to be simply
Since red, white and black are the only colors
staring at the ceiling, his mind remains active and
that babies are able to identify in their early
stores information in order to be able to retrieve it
months, parents must prepare charts with
later for his understanding. It is found that 55% of
contrasting images in these three colors and
your baby’s learning ability is developed within the
stick the charts on to your baby’s crib. There are
first 4 years of his life. Your baby is born with a
also books available which are specially
fully developed neuron system. After birth, the
process of making connections between the
different neurons start and it is this potential that
you should tap into.

Visual stimulation

You must have decorated your baby’s room with

various cartoon characters, colorful patterns and
expensive furnishings. But if you thought your
baby would be able to notice your efforts and
appreciate them with a smile, think again!
Because a baby can barely see beyond his

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
designed to stimulate babies’ brains.
Auditory stimulation
A baby’s auditory senses develop inside the
mother’s uterus as he keeps listening to his
mother’s voice and to the many sounds that form
a part of the mother’s immediate environment.
This means that when a baby is born, he is already
able to identify his parents’ voice, from the rest of
the family.. In order to be able to stimulate your
baby through auditory senses, it is important that
you keep talking to him constantly. A research
shows that those babies, whose parents talk to
them regularly, are able to speak 300 words more
than their peers by the age of 2.
And if you are wondering as to what you should
talk to your baby about, here are some tips: Talk
to your baby about what you are doing, point out
at the various things around him and name them,
call him by his name, sing songs to him and so on.
This kind of active stimulation is very important
than the passive stimulation offered by DVDs and
CDs.
The latter can be used to supplement active
stimulation in the baby. Overall, it is the
participation of the parents in baby’s development
and their constant involvement in their lives that
stimulates the baby most.
When you speak to your baby in more than one
language or play CDS or cassettes in many
languages, he will be able to grasp these
languages fast and easy. Also, if your little one is
being exposed to different genres of music‐
from Classical and Jazz, to Indian folk and
Bollywood, ‐ he will develop a discerning ear for
good music that will remain with him as he
grows up.
Touch
A soothing touch, a gentle pat, a loving caress‐
all work towards the emotional and mental
development of your baby. Research has shown
that skin‐to‐skin contact between the parent
and the baby helps in strengthening the bond
between them in the early days after the baby’s
birth. Activities like massages, rocking, cuddling
and tickling the baby, help in stimulating the
vestibular centre in the baby’s brain which in
turn helps in maintaining balance and ability to
move. Touch also breeds familiarity in the
baby’s mind and helps in preventing childhood
phobias.
For stimulating your baby’s sense of touch,
provide him with objects of different textures
including soft, hard, smooth, rough and
granular. As he touches each object, name it
aloud for him to be able to hear. Make sure that
all objects are clean and safe for your baby and
make sure he doesn’t put them into his mouth.
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Smell: Your baby’s sense of smell can best
develop naturally, without any need of a conscious
effort from your side. As your baby comes in
contact with different smells at home, for instance
the smell of milk – which he seems to like, while
the smell of his own poop – which he does not like,
he will keep learning.
Other than stimulating your baby’s senses you
also need to respond to his needs so that he feels
loved and cared for. You need to respond to his
cries indicating hunger and irritation, you need to
cuddle him and play with him, entertain him and
distract him. Through these gestures of love and
care, you are actually laying the foundation of
trust and love in the mind of your child. This way
your baby gets enough confidence to express
himself without inhibitions and to venture and
learn new things.
These are other things you can do:
Take him out‐ When your child remains at home
for a long time, he gets acquainted with all the
objects present around him and there remains
nothing new that can stimulate his mind and body.
If you take him to a park, his mind will be
stimulated by the newness of the place and by the
many other things which would attract his little
mind.
Challenge him‐To help your baby grow, challenge
87
him. Hold a ball and let him reach towards it.
Remember, you need to be gentle with him and
challenge him within the limits of his capacities.
Read to him‐ Reading stories to your baby will
help in teaching him many things and will also
help in keeping his mind calm and occupied.
Name things‐ Whenever you see new objects,
point those to your baby and name them. He
will remember some of these words later when
he starts talking and this will leave you amazed.
Peek‐a‐boo‐ This age‐old method of
entertaining a child, also serves as an
educational purpose for your baby. By way of
peek‐a‐boo, babies learn that, object
permanence that is ‘if the object is not seen
doesn’t mean that it is gone’ phenomenon.
If you notice, most of the ways of
stimulating babies mentioned in this article can
be easily done at home There is a lot of
stimulation that happens in a baby’s mind, when
he interacts with you and with the environment
around him; the trick lies in identifying and
channelizing the stimulation further.
Stimulations should be fun for both, you as well
as your baby. You must constantly encourage
him and applaud when he does well, but never
push him into doing something; he is not in the
mood of doing at that time.
 Traditional vs. Modern
approach to Baby care

benefits of swaddling the baby.

“Let the baby cry for a while, a little crying
Swaddling, as per science, makes the baby feel
doesn’t hurt anyone” this is what you find your
secured and reminds him of the cocoon like
mother‐ in‐ law telling you, each time you think of
environment of his mother’s womb. The warmth
soothing your crying baby. There are times when
that results by way of swaddling helps the baby,
you have placed your baby lying on his back and
until his own temperature regulation
come back to see that your mother has placed him
mechanism matures. Moreover, swaddling as a
on the belly which is now considered a taboo due
method also prevents the baby waking up due
to the risk of SIDS (see baby sleep like a baby page
to his own movements in his sleep. It also
no.61)
ensures that the baby lies on his back reducing
With new research coming in, the way we care for
the risk for SIDS. In India, swaddling helps in
the baby is undergoing a lot of change. These
protecting the baby from mosquito bites, as the
changes don’t easily go well with the older
entire body except the face, remains covered.
generation as they are staunch believers in the
You can swaddle your baby until he is 3 months
“this is how it was done since ages” argument and
old after which your baby finds it to be too
as a result there seems to be a struggle to come up
with a method that is acceptable to you both.

This article is just about that, about the traditional

practices that are being followed since ages and
why some of them should be stopped while some
need to be followed even today.

Swaddling, Verdict: Good

Our mothers and grandmothers believed that
tying the baby in a cloth in the initial days post
birth soothes the baby and he tends to cry less.
And modern science too, concurs with this
traditional) belief and also confirms the various

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
restrictive and learns to roll over. Remember to
swaddle your baby only if your baby likes it.
Carrying babies through slings and
carriers, Verdict: Good
‘If you cannot carry your work to where your baby
is, carry your baby to where your work is’ – this
was the golden rule which many women in the
ancient times followed. The age‐old trend of the
mother carrying the baby with slings has come
back and everyone is raving about its benefits.
The slings keep the baby close to the mother and
due to this continuous contact with the mother,
the baby develops a sense of security which he
finds soothing. The slings also allow the mother to
have both her hands free as the baby is tied to her
front body, thereby enabling her to do her work
and keep a watch on the baby at the same time.
Slings are highly beneficial for those babies who
need to be constantly cuddled and carried.
But, along with the advantages, slings also have
certain drawbacks: First, overuse of slings, can be
restrictive for the baby. Second if you are carrying
you baby in a sling, in hot climate, your baby
would feel very hot and uncomfortable. Third, if
you become even a bit careless when bending
down, your baby can slide down onto the ground,
which can be very dangerous.
89
Remember: Do not wear your slings when you
are cooking, exercising, jogging or driving.
Applying Kajal, Verdict: Bad
If you are an Indian, most of your own baby
pictures had your eyes covered with Kajal. It is
time that you prevent your child from having
similar pictures!
A popular notion behind the application of kajal
to babies is, to keep the baby away from those
with evil intentions. Besides, there are still many
who believe in the medicinal property of the
black kohl.
Since ancient times the application of kajal to
babies has been considered as a remedy against
some common eye ailments like corneal ulcer,
conjunctivitis, and trachoma. This is because
compounds like copper sulphate and zinc,
present in kajal were considered to be beneficial
for treating eye problems. But, since there are
better treatments available today, the ritual of
application of kajal to babies has become
obsolete.
In fact, application of kajal to babies can cause
them harm as there is no way to ascertain if the
finger of the person applying it is clean or if the
sterility of the kajal is maintained. Further,
doctors say that applying kajal can lead to eye
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

allergies, glaucoma, conjunctivitis and other eye off evil spirits, while there is alternate reason
infections. that piercing the ear stimulates point for vision

If it is difficult to give up the practice in its entirety, according to acupuncture.

the best way out is to apply the kajal mark Ear piercing is generally done within days of the
anywhere on your baby’s body, anywhere except birth, sometimes during the namkaran
around his eyes. ceremony. Parents think that when the skin is
very young there is no pain and therefore
Baby Massage, Verdict: Very good
piercing should be done as soon as possible.
Massage is one among the many practices that
Doctors on the other hand think that it should
India has given to the world. Every mother and
only be done around the 6 month mark, when
grandmother will tell you the kind of joy that
the tetanus (DPT) vaccinations are administered
massaging a baby brings, along with its associated
to avoid infection. Also as the baby is older he is
health benefits for the baby. Research conducted
in a better shape to tolerate the pain.
by The Touch Research Institute of Miami
Parents must also take care of the place from
University proves that massages are good for
where they pierce the ears. Parents should avoid
baby’s immunity, digestion, growth, stress
going to any other jeweler or ‘massagewalli’ to
reduction and sleep and also help in fighting
pierce their baby’s ears. It is advisable that
diarrhea and constipation in babies.
parents opt for a clean and hygienic place. Even
Moreover, the loving touch of the mother’s hands
the instrument that will be used to do the
along with the songs she sings to her baby during
piercing has to be selected with care. The gun
the massage helps in soothing the baby to a good
shot is a popular choice but there are several
sleep. It also helps to create a bond between the
parts of the gun that cannot be sterilized. A
mother and her baby.
sterilized needle can be used for this purpose.
Remember: Parents must ensure that the
Things to remember:
massage is done gently and without causing too
• Ensure that only a doctor or an experienced
much stress to the baby.
piercer does the job.
Ear Piercing, Verdict: Must be done with Care
• Choose a time when it is less crowded and
In India, all babies, be they girls or boys, get their
carry a toy to distract the baby.
ears pierced. It is believed that pierced ear wards

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
• Make sure that the piercer washes his hands
with antiseptic solution and wears gloves
while doing it.
• Ensure that the practitioner pierces at the
centre of the lobe avoiding the nerve and the
cartilage.
• Don’t let the practitioner mark on the ear lobe
before piercing as there are chances of
infection due to the dye in the ink.
• Choose studs with a screw on the back and
thin gold wire for your baby.
• Look out for signs of infection like swelling,
redness and pain and consult a doctor if any
occurs.
Shaving off the hair, Verdict: Must be
done with Care
‘Shaving the hair while they are babies will lead to
great texture and thickness of hair in children’‐ this
is what we say when we shave the baby’s hair.
Though there is no evidence to prove it, the
parents still firmly believe in it. The only change
that shaving brings is that all of the hair grow
uniformly which gives it an appearance of being
thick.
Also it is common for babies to lose some or even
all of the hair that they were born with, usually
91
around the 4 month mark. The new hair that
comes may be thicker or curlier or even a new
color! But whether you shave, trim, or brush his
hair a hundred strokes a day won't affect how it
grows in. For some babies there is a delay in hair
growth but shaving their head isn’t anyway
going to help.
Here are some tips when you decide to shave
your baby’s head
• Shave the baby’s head only after 6‐9
months of birth.
• Make sure that the barber’s equipment is
sterilized.
• Wash the head before you shave it with
lukewarm water.
• After the shaving, apply ointment or Aloe
Vera gel on the nicks and cuts on his head.
You can also apply turmeric and
sandalwood paste on the head to fight
infection and keep the shaved area cool.
Tying a Black thread, Verdict: Bad
Tying a black thread around the neck, hand and
the waist is an old tradition among us to ward
off evil spirits. But it ends up doing more harm
to the baby than good! Sometimes the baby
might just pull on the thread, which may lead to
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
strangulation. Also if he puts the thread in the
mouth which has been dyed, it can be toxic to the
baby. If you tie the thread too tight around the
baby’s neck, it may hamper the blood circulation.
The thread remains wet for a long time after
taking bath and remains in close contact with the
baby’s body, which increases the chances of
fungal infection.
If you still want to tie the thread, tie it loosely
around the ankle not the wrist or the waist.
Putting oil in the ear and navel, Verdict:
Bad
Earlier, putting oil in the ear was believed to
soften the ear wax so that it can be cleaned easily.
It was believed that the ear wax hindered hearing.
Doctors today believe that ear wax, in fact helps to
protect the ear against air, moisture, bacteria and
water. If you try to soften the wax with oil and
then try to remove it with an ear bud, you may
end up scratching and hurting the baby’s ear
drums which will affect his hearing. Sometimes
the oils themselves cause infections!
If it is the dirt in the ear that you are worried
about, ask your pediatrician about it.
You shouldn’t pour oil in the baby’s navel
especially when the umbilical stump is still
linked to the navel as dirt particles containing
germs stick to the oil which may cause
infections. You must take care of the stump and
observe it carefully for any signs of pus or blood
and consult the doctor if you find any. If the
stump seems to be partially separated do not
pull it apart. Be patient and let it fall off on its
own.
With these scientific reasons behind following or
discarding a ritual made clear, you easily
convince your elders about them, after all they
also want the best for the baby!
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 Baby’s Development
Milestones

Each baby is unique and develops at his own pace. • Lift the head by 900while lying on the
Some may start walking early while some are early belly
talkers. So parents remember, do not compare • Hold the head steady when upright.
your baby with other babies as each of them
• Bring the hands together.
develop differently. Here is the development chart
indicating the development milestones for your • Smile spontaneously.

baby. Unless your baby is off track on most counts
you have no reason to worry.
1st Month
Even after one month, your baby still feels like a
newcomer in the house amongst all of you. He has
just mastered the art of breastfeeding and the art
of sleeping in his cradle. Here are the other things
he is expected to accomplish by this time…
2nd Month
As time passes by, you find yourself getting
increasingly better at baby care and now you
have learnt all the tricks that can help in
soothing your baby’s cries in no time. And by
the second month, the bond between you two,
has become so strong that he recognizes you
and even smiles and coos in your presence.

Most babies will be able to‐ Most babies will be able to,

• Lift the head for a few seconds while lying on

the belly.

• See and focus on the faces of people who

greet them.

Some babies will be able to,

• Lift the head by 450 while lying on the belly.

• Make other sounds like ‘cooing’.

Very few babies will be able to,

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
• Express startle, cry or stop crying in
response to a bell
• Respond with a smile
Some babies will be able to,
• Make sounds other than crying, like
cooing
• 0
Lift the head to 45 while lying on the
belly
Very few babies will be able to,
• Hold the head steady when upright
• Stay on the stomach, with chest raised and
supported by arms
• Roll over to one or the other way
• Pay attention to objects as small as a raisin.
Babies must be kept away from small objects
as much as possible.
• Reach for an object at a distance
• Laugh out loud, or squeal
3rd Month
A thorough medical checkup for your baby ‐
scheduled during the third month ‐ should help in
clearing all your doubts pertaining to his
upbringing , care and his development milestones.
Most babies will be able to,
• 0
Lift the head up to 45 while lying on the belly
Some babies will be able to,
• Laugh out aloud
• Lift the head up to 900 while lying on the
belly
Very few babies will be able to,
• Squeak when delighted
• Bring both the hands together
• Smile spontaneously
• Roll over to either side
• Bear some weight on the legs when held
upright
• Reach for an object kept at a short distance
4th Month
Your baby seems to be like an angel this month.
He seems to be all smiles when you are close to
him, he cries less and even sleeps peacefully
through the night. He seems cheerful and
happy, and both of you seem to have a gala time
in each other’s company.
Most babies will be able to,
• Lift their head up to 900 while lying on their
tummy
• Laugh out aloud
• Follow the movement of an object in an
arc, i.e. above the head at 15 cm for 1800
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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Some babies will be able to,
• Stay on the belly with the chest raised,
supported by their arms
• Pay attention to objects as small as a raisin.
Babies must be kept away from small objects
as much as possible.
• Reach for an object kept at a short distance
Very few babies will be able to,
• Object, if the toy is taken away
• Turn in the direction of the voice of a person
calling out to them
• Sit without support
5th Month
th
By the 5 month, your baby seems to be much
stronger and active. He is now able to go and get
his toy from a distance, he even tries to crawl and
is able to notice small things that seem interesting
to him, including fallen food pieces, tiny insects
etc. Your baby’s increased activity also means that
you need to be more careful and alert.
Most babies will be able to,
• Hold the head steady when upright
• Stay on the belly with the chest raised,
supported by their arms
• Pay attention to objects as small as a raisin.
Babies must be kept away from small objects
95
as much as possible.
• Reach for an object kept at a short distance
• Smile spontaneously
• Respond with a smile
Some babies will be able to,
• Roll over to either side one way
• Bear some weight on the legs when are held
upright
• Turn in the direction of the voice of a person
calling out to them
• Sit without support
Very few babies will be able to,
• Pull themselves up to the standing position
from the ‘sitting’ position
• Stand, holding onto someone or something
• Object, if the toy is taken away
• Make an effort to get hold of a toy that
seems to them to be out of reach
6th Month
It’s the sixth month, and there are already some
signs of teeth in your little one, and he has now
begun with his mischieves too. He has started to
pull and push in order to be able to get his toys,
and has even begun surprising you by making
different sounds.
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

Most babies will be able to, Most babies will be able to,

• Say ‘ah‐goo ‘or similar sounding notes • Try to feed themselves with the help of a

• Some babies will be able to, spoon

• Bear some weight on their legs when they are • Make a razzing sound

held upright • Coo or babble when they are happy

• Sit without support • Smile often while interacting with people

• Turn in the direction of the voice of a person Some babies will be able to,
calling out to them • Sit without support
• Make an effort to get hold of a toy that seems • Object, if their toy is taken away from them
to them to be out of reach
• Make an effort to get hold of a toy that
• Babble, by combining vowels and consonants seems to them to be out of reach
such as ga‐ga‐ga, ba‐ba‐ba, ma‐ma‐ma and
• Look for an object dropped in front of them
da‐da‐da.
• Turn in the direction of the voice of a person
Very few babies will be able to,
calling out to them
• Creep or crawl
Very few babies will be able to,
• Pull themselves up to the standing position
• Play peek‐a‐boo
from the ‘sitting’ position
• Babble by combining vowels and
• Pick up tiny objects
consonants such as ga‐ga‐ga, ba‐ba‐ba, ma
th
7 Month ‐ma‐ma and da‐da‐da.

By the seventh month, you see your baby • Creep or crawl

becoming independent; he wants to feed himself
• Stand, even after holding onto someone or
now, ‐ doesn’t matter, that the table cloth and his
something
own clothes are also being fed in the process, ‐ and
• Walk, taking the support of the furniture at
he is also getting better at expressing himself by
home
cooing and smiling at the world!

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 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

• Pull up to standing position from the ‘sitting’ ‘sitting position’

position • Say “mama” or “dada” discriminately
th
8 Month • Stand alone momentarily

The eighth month has brought about a lot of • Understand a ‘No’

changes in your baby ‐ the once quiet and meek
9th Month
infant has turned into a mischief making and a
never tiring tot who can now crawl and get his tiny By now, your baby has gained some useful social

fingers onto almost anything he comes across. skills. He is entertaining everyone around him by

With so much of novelty around him, your baby mimicking the sounds he hears and doing things

sure is making the most of now. that get him attention.

Most babies will be able to, Most babies will be able to,

• Bear some of theibody’s weight on their legs • Make an effort to get hold of a toy that

when they are held upright seems to them to be out of reach

• Try feeding themselves with the help of a • Look for an object dropped in front of them

spoon Some babies will be able to,

• Turn in the direction of the voice of a person • Creep or crawl

calling out to them • Get into a ‘sitting’ position while lying on
• Look for an object dropped in front of them their stomach

Some babies will be able to, • Object, if their toy is taken away from them

• Stand holding onto someone or something • Stand, holding onto someone or something

• Play peek‐a‐boo • Say “mama” or “dada” discriminately

• Get into a ‘sitting position’ while lying on the • Play peek‐a‐boo

belly Very few babies will be able to,
Very few babies will be able to, • Say “mama” or “dada” discriminately
• Creep or crawl • Play with a ball
• Pull up to the standing position from the

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The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
• Pick up a tiny object with the help of the tips
of the their thumb and forefinger
• Stand well, without support
• Respond to a one step command with
gestures (“Give that to me” said with hand
out)
10th Month
Your baby is getting smarter by the 10th month,
but he is also getting thinner and losing his rate of
growth. He continues to leave no stone unturned
in exploring your house. When you tell him
something, he listens and understands but has no
intention of obeying. No wonder, they say,
‘Parenting is difficult’.
Most babies will be able to,
• Stand by holding onto someone or something
• Pull up to the standing position from the
‘sitting’ position
• Object, if their toy is taken away from them
• Play peek‐a‐boo
• Say “mama” or “dada” discriminately
Some babies will be able to,
• Get into a ‘sitting position’ while lying on their
stomach
• Pick up a tiny object with the help of the tips
of the their thumb and forefinger
• Understand a ‘No’
Very few babies will be able to,
• Say “mama” or “dada” discriminately
• Play ball
• Stand alone well without support
• Drink from a cup independently
• Talk in gibberish
• Respond to a one step command with
gestures (“Give that to me” said, with hand
shown)
11th Month
Your baby has now turned into a rebel; he resists
the diaper change, the rice cereal and the
afternoon nap. At this point, he hates to be
confined and makes sure that you know it. His
latest, favorite activity is to keep pointing at
different things and he keeps doing this all the
time.
Most babies will be able to,
• Get into a ‘sitting position’ while lying
on their from stomach
• Understand a ‘No’
Some babies will be able to,
• Walk by taking the support of the home
furniture
• Point or gesture to ensure that their needs
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are met with. Some babies will be able to,

Very few babies will be able to, • Drink from a cup independently

• Say “mama” or “dada” discriminately • Pick up a tiny object with the help of the

• Play ball tips of the their thumb and forefinger

• Stand alone well without support • (Many babies don’t reach this stage till 15
months)
• Drink from a cup independently
• Stand alone momentarily (many don’t reach
• Talk in gibberish
this stage till 13 months)
• Respond to a one step command with
• Say “mama” or “dada” discriminately (most
gestures (“Give that to me” said with hand
babies say at least one of these words
out)
before 14 months)
th
12 Month
• Say anyone word other than mama or dada
Your baby completes one year this month and he (many babies won’t say their first word till
also embarks on another milestone, which is 14 months or later)
‘Walking’. He starts with a few unsteady steps ‐
Very few babies will be able to,
holding on to someone or something for support ‐
• Play ball ( roll back ball to you) (many won’t
but is sure on his way to walking independently.
do this till 16 months)
Celebrate the year by taking a note of the many
things you learnt and all that you had to deal with. • Stand alone well ( many don’t get to this

Oh! What a year it has been! It seems just point till 14 months)
yesterday that you brought your baby into the • Use gibberish ( some don’t talk like this till
house from the hospital…. 15 months)
Most babies will be able to, • Walk well ( most babies won’t walk well till
• Walk holding on to the furniture 13 months)

• Point or gesture to be able to get their needs • Respond to a one step command with
fulfilled gestures (some take up to 16 months to
reach this stage).

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 Mommy’s Health

tenderness and pain near your breast area.

This is an article that is dedicated only to you the
Relax! These problems are a part of the process
first‐time mother. Are you surprised that a baby
of engorgement of breasts – which happens
care book has an entire chapter about the mother?
during breastfeeding. In simple words,
You shouldn’t be, because a mother’s health is
engorgement of breasts means that your
most affected by the physical and emotional
breasts get filled with milk and there is more
upheavals that accompany pregnancy and child
blood rushing to the area. In some women,
birth. But after a few days of fussing over the
engorgement may be seen to a greater extent
mother, everybody else focuses on the baby and
and it is more during the first pregnancy than
no one more than the mother herself! We would
others.
like to remind all the mothers out there, that their
Engorgement is often a temporary
health is as important as the baby’s. Think about
phenomenon, and it diminishes gradually as the
this: if the mother is unwell, has diet and sleep
milk production and supply gets regulated. The
issues, can she take care of the baby? If she is on
swelling and pain in the breasts, does not last
medication, can she breastfeed her child? A big
for more than 2 days.
No. And now that you are convinced, read on to
know how you can take care of your health and Here are some tips that can help you deal with
how your husband too can help you remain fit and
fine!
Problems associated with Breast
Feeding
Engorgement

As a first‐time mother, there are a number of

problems you face after child birth which can keep
you off the joy of breast feeding your baby. For
instance, you often notice that your breasts
enlarge in size and sometimes the increase is
almost twice the normal size, and you also sense

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the discomfort:
• Feed your baby regularly – The more you
breast feed your baby, the less are the
chances for your breasts to swell. Regular
breast feeding is necessary to make sure that
the increase in the supply of milk is met with
adequate outflow of the same. This in turn is
essential for your breasts to return to their
normal size.
• Warm up– If the milk does not flow out
smoothly, then try to soften the areola by way
of heat. This can start the flow. Another
option for a smooth flow of milk, is to
massage the breast that you are nursing your
baby with.
• Cool it – The other ways of reducing breast
engorgements are – to use ice packs, to keep
chilled cabbage leaves on the breasts, or to
use specially designed cooling bra inserts
when you are not feeding the baby.
• Position – It is important to keep changing
the position from Cradle to Football hold (see
breast feeding positions page no.20) in order
to ensure that the milk is being taken by the
baby in a uniform manner.
• Leaking breasts‐ One of your most common
routines as a new mother would be to keep
changing clothes ‐ yours as well as your baby’s
– most of the times in a day . This is because
during the early days of nursing, milk leaks,
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drips and even sprays out from the breasts,
thereby spoiling your clothes.
• But, don’t worry. This process of leakage of
milk from the breasts – known as ‘Let
Down’ ‐ is a physical process that takes
place even when you think about your baby.
‘Let Down’ is more frequent in the early
days after childbirth, it gradually decreases
with time, once the rhythm in demand and
supply of milk is established.
Here are tips to help you deal with deal with
this uncomfortable and embarrassing
problem,
• Nursing pads placed in the bras help in
absorbing the leaks. Do not opt for nursing
pads which are lined with plastic, opt
instead, for those, that are made from
100% cotton. These maintain the airflow
and which are easy on your nipples. Both
washable and disposable varieties are
available.
• To keep your bed sheet from stains of wet
milk, place extra nursing pads and place a
large towel on the bed when you sleep.
• Wear dark clothes with big prints so that
the stains remain hidden.
• Do not pump milk as doing so will only
increase the leaking.
Sore Nipples
The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care
Some mothers are known to suffer from the
problem of ‘sore nipples’ ‐ which occurs if the
position of the baby during breastfeeding is not
correct or if the baby has a vigorous suck. If you
suffer from ‘sore nipples’, breastfeeding may seem
difficult to you, but you will find that as time
passes, the breast tissue toughens up to the
challenge of breast feeding, and you no longer
face any problem. Here are some beneficial tips
that can help,
• Check the position of the baby and check if
the latch is right (for proper latching
technique, read Feeding your baby page
no.20 )
• After you are done with feeding, expose your
nipple to air. Another option is to wear breast
shells.
• Do not keep the wet nursing pads for long, as
these can cause irritation to the nipples
• The cracks on the nipple can be healed by
applying lanolin cream. Products that contain
petroleum jelly, like Vaseline, must not be
used.
• Placing wet tea bags on the sore nipples helps
in healing.
• It is advisable to relax for about 15 minutes
before you start feeding, as this will ease the
flow of milk and the baby will not have to suck
vigorously.
• Make sure you wash your nipple with water
only and not with any type of soap, alcohol
or tincture as your baby will be in direct
contact with your nipple and consume what
is applied on it.
Diet for the Mother
After delivery you feel like getting back in shape
and eating what you want to, without any
restrictions. Though there is nothing wrong in
feeling this way, remember that you are still
breastfeeding at this point and whatever you
eat in turn becomes your baby’s food too.
Hence, the more balanced and nutritious food
you eat, the healthier will be the milk that
becomes your baby’s food.
Right diet is also important for those mothers
who aren’t breast feeding, because taking care
of your baby and looking after him for his every
small need, is physically exhausting. So, it is not
time yet, to go binging or to opt for extreme
diets, you still need to watch not only what goes
in your baby’s mouth but also what goes into
your mouth.
Here is a list of essential nutrients that make
up the diet of a feeding mother:
Protein
• Eggs, meat, fish and chicken
• Milk, curd and Indian cottage cheese
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(paneer). khus kheer (good for milk production) etc.

• Nuts and seeds ‐ almonds, cashew nuts, Vitamins and Iron supplements
peanuts, etc. The doctor may recommend vitamin and iron
• Pulses and legumes ‐ green gram, soybean, supplements to a new mother, if her diet is
red gram, Bengal gram, etc. insufficient in essential nutrients, even after she

Calcium has had nutrient‐rich foods listed above.

• Dairy products ‐ milk, paneer and curd, which Sex after Pregnancy
are the major sources of calcium. In the life of a couple, the birth of a baby means

• Sesame seeds, Soya beans, Pulses and Ragi.
• Vegetables like okra and cabbage and green
leafy vegetables like spinach and methi
(fenugreek).
Vitamin C
• Oranges, strawberries, mangoes, guavas,
tomatoes.
abundant joy and happiness on the one hand
and tiredness, exhaustion and no‐time‐for‐sex
on the other. This is more in case of mothers, as
the female hormones incline the new mother
more towards baby care than towards sex. And
if you too have been giving all your love and
attention to your baby, your partner may feel
ignored and the intimacy and love between you

• Green leafy vegetables. too may suffer in the process. Hence, it is

advisable and safe for both of you to resume
Iron rich food
your sex life after six weeks of delivery.
• Green leafy vegetables.
Here are tips by which you can safely get ‘sex’
• Ragi and other cereals .
back into your lives:
• Meat, chicken and fish.
Matters of the Mind
• Legumes (beans).
• Take it as it goes: Your body has
• Nuts and dry fruits . undergone a complete change since the

Traditional foods time you have been pregnant, and it will

All new mothers are advised to have a variety of
traditional homemade foods. These include, Methi
Ladoo (rich in iron), Dink Ladoo (rich in collagen),
rotis made of jowar and bajra (rich in iron), khus
take some time for your sex life to get back
in shape. So, have patience and keep trying.
• Its’ Okay: Some women find it odd to have
sex in the same room as the one in which

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their baby sleeps or even in the next room.
But this feeling of awkwardness must change
and women must look at themselves not just
as mothers, but also as loving partners. There
are also women who get uncomfortable with
the idea of having sex after childbirth, yet, do
not gather enough courage to refuse their
partners. This kind of approach leads to
feelings of resentment between the partners.
• Intimacy not sex: Sometimes, a loving touch,
a cuddle, a candle light dinner or even
something as simple as, volunteering to
soothe the baby’s cries if you are a husband,
can bring back the spark in a couple’s life.
Love and intimacy need not always have
sexual connotations.
Matters of the body:
• Lubricate : Pregnancy foll owed by
breastfeeding and hormonal changes make
the vagina dry. This in turn makes sex painful
for mothers. As a mother, it is advisable that
you use lubricating products until the
secretions start.
• Indulge in foreplay: Only when you give
yourself time to warm up, will you be able to
give the kind of sexual performance in bed
that meet you and your partner’s
expectations. Don’t rush, take it slow.
• Massage: Take a massage or a shower to
relax. Forget about all your worries and
chores and simply shut your mind and relax.
• Exercise: Many mothers notice the change
in their bodies post childbirth. Kegel
exercises help in toning the pelvic muscles
while other exercises help get the body
back in shape (See Postpartum exercises
later in this chapter)
• Try different positions: The standard
sexual position may not be too feasible for a
mother post child birth, and for such times,
‘woman‐on‐ top’ and ‘side‐to–side’
positions.
Birth Control
Before you look at each other with love, we
would like to introduce this topic upfront. Yes,
we are asking you to start thinking about birth
control unless you don’t mind having another
baby this early.
If you think that you don’t need to take birth
control measures until you have weaned your
baby, you are wrong. Though it is true that most
women don’t get their menstrual periods until at
least 6 months after the delivery there are
exceptions. Chances of conception without
periods cannot be ruled out. So it is better not
to take chances and to talk to your gynecologist
about the various birth control options available.
after 6 weeks of childbirth.
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Baby Blues
t has set in and you can’t seem to stop it. All the
happiness that you imagined you will experience
after childbirth just evaporated in thin air and all
that you are left with, is a feeling of a loss of
control and of dismay. These may be the kind of
thoughts that go about in the mind of a mother
who suffers from baby blues. Baby Blues set in
after pregnancy in about 60 percent of women,
but if the symptoms don’t go away in sometime
then it may be a case of Postnatal Depression or
PND.
Some symptoms of Baby Blues‐Excessive crying,
lack of sleep, eating problems, persistent sadness,
lack of concern for the baby and memory loss.
Many women are seen to suffer from Post natal
depression however they are not comfortable
discussing it as they feel having such feelings is
wrong and inappropriate. It is important for
mothers to understand that PND is not the
mother’s fault and does not reflect a mother’s
parenting skills. Also family members should look
out for these symptoms and consult a doctor as
PND is easily curable. But it is important to bring
the problem into light, else, it can hurt the mother
as well as the baby.
Sleep and You
It’s just a month into motherhood, and you already
resemble a zombie! With dark circles under your
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eyes indicating a lack of sleep, disheveled hair
for effect, and a creased forehead that is
brought about by bouts of bad temper, you
definitely aren’t painting a happy picture of
motherhood. As a new mother, you have been
sleeping so little, that you feel drowsy
throughout the day. Here are some tips that will
keep you on your feet, even with your meager
hours of sleep ‐
• Take turns: Which one do you think is
better, one groggy sleep deprived parent or
two groggy sleep deprived parents? After a
few months when your baby does not need
to be fed at night both of you can choose to
do the night duty on alternate days. This
way, at least one of you can get some
decent sleep and can be a better parent
during the day.
• Shift the burden: if taking turns doesn’t
suit you, you can take shifts in one night
itself. It can work this way‐ The mother
sleeps for few hours, say from 10 – 2 am,
while the father takes care of the baby and
then after 2am, the mother takes charge,
and the father sleeps from 2 – 6am.
• Sleep with your baby: This option works
for those parents who have their baby sleep
with them so that whenever the baby cries,
the mother can nurse him on the bed itself,
after which both the parents can drift off to
 The Great Indian GUIDE for Postnatal Care

straining any part of your body 8 times. that leaves an impression on the mother’s mind

Abdominal muscles: These are the muscles that forever; but also leaves an indelible mark on the

stretched as they sheltered your baby for nine mother’s pelvic muscles. They become loose

months but now even as the baby is out of your and can lead to incontinence in some women.

womb these muscles seem to be sagging and Kegel exercises are recommended for relief.

bloated. You can do these exercises whilst sitting, lying

Exercise for abdominal muscles: down or standing.‐All you have to do is, tighten
your pelvic muscles as if you are stopping your
• Sit on a chair with the spine erect, now take a
stream of urine. You have to tighten them for
deep breath and extend the stomach muscles
five seconds a time, four to five times in a row.
as much as you can, slowly take your stomach
Start by doing 2‐3 contractions at first and then
in to the maximum. Do this 5 times.
stay longer and try more contractions each time.
• For this exercise, sit on a chair as mentioned
General: You can also try other low intensity
above, this time while you extend your
workouts like walking, swimming and yoga to
stomach, do not take in the abdomen fully,
help regain the physique as well as the muscle
bring it halfway, hold it for a second and then
strength as before.
bring it fully in.
Now that you know how to take care of your
• Lie on the stomach and take in the muscles
baby and your own health, have a happy
and hold as much as you can.
parenting experience!
Pelvic muscles: Childbirth is a life‐altering event

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sleep. Most babies also get calmer when they
are in close contact with their parents.
• Sleep again after feed: Many babies have the
tendency to wake up early in the morning to
feed and sleep right back after the feeding;
leaving the mother tired and sleepless. If you
feed your baby in your bed, you might as well
catch on some sleep after feeding, as the baby
drifts off to sleep, so that you feel rejuvenated
once you are up.
• Take naps: Sleep when the baby sleeps, this
way you can catch up with your lost zzz’s.
Though this may not always be possible, try
as much as you can, to opt for a good nap
during the day, in between housecleaning and
other chores.
• Beware of Sleep Deniers: Avoid Caffeine,
alcohol and high starchy foods as they can
interfere with your sleep and leave you feeling
even more sleep‐deprived.
• Fake it: Even after you have tried your best if
nothing works, understand that you need to
accept ‘less sleep’ as a part of motherhood. To
feel good and fresh, take showers, wear new
sets of clothes, exercise in the morning and
have a positive attitude. Soon your body will
adjust to the routine of motherhood and you
will be in a better position to deal with lesser
hours of sleep.
Postpartum Exercises
Many mothers find themselves looking
pregnant even after their delivery due to their
bloated tummies, fat thighs and still larger
breasts! This is bound to make any woman
unhappy. So now to get back in shape, you have
dutifully cut down on your diet. But unless you
re‐strengthen the areas which were affected by
pregnancy, you can never truly go back to the
shape you were in before getting pregnant.
Before you set out to work on your body,
remember, exercises are to be resumed only
after 6 weeks of delivery as the muscles are too
weak to undergo any vigorous form of exercise
before that time. Also if yours was a
complicated delivery, consult your doctor before
you start any kind of exercise.
Yoga for you
Back under control: Backaches become a part
of life during pregnancy but sometimes the ache
remains even after delivery and gets worse as
you keep bending down to pick up your baby.
Here is an exercise for your spine: Begin on all
fours with the neck at ease. Inhale and lift your
neck keeping the back straight or arching
slightly. Now, exhale and bend your neck,
tighten the abdominal muscles and tuck in the
neck and head. Do this exercise without
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Baby Song
At first you didn't lift your head;
You didn't know to smile.
The time before you knew my voice
Seemed such a long, long while.
I couldn't wait for you to roll,
And then to sit and clap.
And now you're off and crawling,
Not helpless in my lap.
Why didn't someone tell me
How fast a baby grows,
That every little baby stage
Soon comes, but sooner goes.
So I'll enjoy the fleeting time
Before you learn to walk.
and treasure every tiny noise
Before you learn to talk.
For soon you'll learn to walk,
Then run,
And talk and sing a song,
And never be my babe again.
The babe's forever gone.
Little baby, take your time,
For while you are tiny, you are mine.

- Diane Woolley

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References:

Books-

• What to Expect: the first year by Heidi Murkoff

& Sandee Hathaway
• Garbhasanskar in Pregnancy by Dr. Geetanjali
Shah and Dr. Vikram Shah

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